Detecting micro-organisms in an electrocoating process

• US 20040231988A1
• Filed: 03/04/2004
• Published: 11/25/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 03/04/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Swimc, LLC (The Sherwin-Williams Company)
• Original Assignee: Valspar Sourcing, Inc. (Sherwin-Williams Company)
• Inventors: Contos, Michael A., Bourdeau, Michael J., Sailer, Robert A., Pillar, Lonnie L.
• Granted Patent: US 8,541,194 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 204/471
• CPC Class Codes: C12Q 1/04 Determining presence or kind of microorganism; Use of selective media for testing antibiotics or bacteriocides; Compositions containing a chemical indicator therefor C12Q1/6897 takes precedence

Abstract

Use of a micro-organism detection device to rapidly evaluate the presence of microorganisms in an electrocoating process.

Claims

1. A method of detecting a micro-organism level of an electrocoat material comprising providing a micro-organism detection device;

introducing a liquid sample comprising the electrocoat material to the detection device; and

rapidly determining the presence of micro-organisms in the liquid sample.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein the presence of micro-organisms in the liquid sample is determined in less than one hour after introducing the liquid sample into the device.

3. The method according to claim 1, wherein the presence of micro-organisms in the liquid sample is determined in less than five minutes after introducing the liquid sample into the device.

4. The method according to claim 1, wherein the micro-organism detection device comprises a luminometer.

5. The method according to claim 1, wherein the liquid sample is obtained from a liquid stream source within an electrocoating process.

6. The method according to claim 1, wherein the liquid sample comprises material retrieved from a surface and combined in a liquid carrier prior to being introduced to the detection device.

7. The method according to claim 6, wherein the liquid carrier is water.

8. The method according to claim 6, further comprising contacting a surface of an electrocoat process with a collection device to collect material onto the device;

and transferring the collected material into a solution.

9. The method according to claim 8, wherein the collection device is a cotton swab, the method further comprising placing the swab in a liquid carrier to transfer the collected material into the liquid carrier.

10. The method according to claim 5, wherein the liquid stream source is an electrocoat process area selected from a group consisting of pre-treatment, electrocoat bath, post rinse, and permeate.

11. The method according to claim 1, wherein the liquid sample comprises light impacting solid matter.

12. The method according to claim 11, wherein the solid matter originates from an electrocoat material component selected from a group consisting of pigments, extenders, resins, crosslinkers, additives, and combinations thereof.

13. The method according to claim 1, wherein the liquid sample comprises solid matter having an average density of about 1 g/cm³ to about 10 g/cm³.

14. The method according claim 1, wherein the liquid sample comprises solid matter having an average density of about 1 g/cm³ to about 7 g/cm³.

15. The method according to claim 1, wherein the liquid sample comprises solid matter having an average density of about 1 g/cm³ to about 4 g/cm³.

16. The method according to claim 1, wherein the liquid sample is obtained by diluting an amount of electrocoat material with a liquid carrier so that the liquid sample comprises less than about 10 wt % solids.

17. The method according to claim 1, wherein the liquid sample is obtained by diluting an amount of liquid with a liquid carrier so that the liquid sample comprises less than about 4 wt % solids.

18. The method according to claim 1, wherein the liquid sample is obtained by diluting an amount of liquid with a liquid carrier so that the liquid sample comprises less than about 2 wt % solids.

19. The method according to claim 16, wherein the electrocoat material comprises greater than about 15 wt % solids prior to dilution with the liquid carrier.

20. The method according to claim 16, wherein the electrocoat material comprises greater than about 25 wt % solids prior to dilution with the liquid carrier.

21. The method according to claim 16, wherein the electrocoat material comprises greater than about 75 wt % solids prior to dilution with the liquid carrier.

22. The method according to claim 1, wherein the detection device is configured to detect a micro-organism selected from a group consisting of bacteria, protozoa, molds, yeasts, algae and combinations thereof.

23. The method according to claim 22, wherein said micro-organism is at least one bacteria selected from a group consisting of aerobic bacteria, nitrogen cycle bacteria, iron bacteria, legionella bacteria, and sulfate reducing bacteria.

24. The method according to claim 1, wherein the detection device is integrated with a computer-based monitoring system to communicate at least one output from the device.

25. The method according to claim 1, further comprising repeating all steps of the method on a periodic basis.

26. The method according to claim 25, wherein the periodic basis is at least once every 24 hours.

27. The method according to claim 1, further comprising determining the level of micro-organisms in the liquid sample.

28. The method according to claim 27, further comprising inputting the micro-organism level reading into a data tracking module.