Biological Analysis Service

Microbial Ecology Unit

In the Microbial Ecology Unit of the IMDEA Water laboratory, we provide a comprehensive microbiological analysis service, encompassing both classical and molecular methods, aimed at assessing the quality of surface waters, groundwater, and related matrices. We offer this service not only to IMDEA researchers but also to research centers, companies, and official organizations. Our analyses are carried out according to national and international standardized methods, complying with the standards established in the UNE-EN ISO norms for microbiological water quality analysis.

We offer

Molecular analysis in water and related matrices

  • DNA and RNA Extraction and quantification.
  • DNA and RNA sequencing using nanopore technology for bacterial biodiversity studies and metagenomics.
  • Detection and quantification of specific genes of environmental relevance, such as those related to the nitrogen cycle, antibiotic resistance, and microcystin production.
  • Detection and quantification of SARS-CoV-2 in wastewater.

Analysis of a wide range of biological indicators of water quality:

  • Escherichia coli and total coliforms
  • Intestinal enterococci
  • Clostridium perfringens
  • Pseudomonas aeruginosa
  • Total aerobic bacteria at 22ºC and 37ºC
  • Cryptosporidium and Giardia
  • Campylobacter sp.

Other microbiological analyses for water characterization:

  • Antibiogram of aerobic enterobacteria
  • Identification and quantification of cyanobacteria in water
  • Extraction and quantification of microcystins by liquid chromatography coupled to mass spectrometry (LC-MS).

Enzymatic activity analysis for soil and sludge quality control:

  • Phosphatase
  • Arylsulfatase
  • β-Galactosidase
  • Urease
Servicio de Análisis Biológicos

  • MinION (Nanopore) MK1C and MK1 sequencers
  • Real-time PCR LightCycler 96 (Roche) and AB7300 (Thermo)
  • Nanophotometer (Biotek) and Qubit4 fluorometer (Invitrogen)
  • Gel documentation system GelDoc Go Imaging System from Bio-Rad
  • SimpliAmp and TC-5000 thermocyclers (Applied Biosystems and Techne)
  • Gel electrophoresis equipment (Biorad)
  • Homogenizer for DNA extraction (Precellys)
  • Light microscope, Olympus CX41
  • Digital camera, Olympus
  • Rotary evaporator with Buchi cooling system for cyanotoxin extraction
  • Solid-phase extraction equipment to concentrate toxin extracts
  • Incubator for culturing cyanobacteria and bacteria

Secuenciadores Minion MK1C y MK1 (ONT)

Sequencers Minion MK1C y MK1

Nanofotómetro Epoch (Biotek) y Fluorómetro Quibit 4 (Invitrogen)

Nanophotometer Epoch y Fluorómetro Quibit 4

PCR en tiempo real Lightcycler 96 (Roche)

Real-time PCR          Lightcycler 96

Incubadora para cultivos de cianobacterias y bacterias

Incubator for cyanobacterial and bacterial culture

Sistema de documentacion de geles GelDoc Go Imaging System (Bio-Rad)

Gel documentation system GelDoc Go Imaging System

Service staff

  • 1 Head of the service: Dr. Iame Alves Guedes, in charge of organisation, supervision of personnel and coordination of projects.
  • 2 Laboratory Technicians: Ana Isabel Morato Cerro, to make the identification and cuantification of microbiological indicators related to water and soil quality, and Sofía Viudez Perdices, responsible for preparing and processing samples for sequencing using Oxford Nanopore Technologies (ONT), as well as gene quantification by PCR.
  • 2 Advanced Support Technicians: Silvia Sánchez González, in charge of bioinformatics analysis and data processing in the Microbial Ecology Unit, and Paula Martín González, responsible for the analysis of bacteria and antibiotic resistance genes, as well as data processing, results validation, and the development of new methodologies.