Behind the scenes; Friends of the Dart Laboratory. скачать в хорошем качестве

Behind the scenes; Friends of the Dart Laboratory.

This month, we’re taking you behind the scenes of the Friends of the Dart laboratory, generously hosted by the Dartington Estate. This dedicated space allows us to carry out our weekly E. coli testing using Petrifilms, helping us monitor water quality across the Dart catchment.Petrifilms are a simple but powerful tool: they allow us to culture E. coli, a faecal indicator organism. The presence of E. coli in water tells us that faecal pollution—originating from sources such as sewage discharges, agricultural runoff, failing private systems, and even wildlife—is entering the River and its tributaries.In the video, you’ll see me in the lab demonstrating our weekly testing routine. These tests are a key part of how we understand patterns of pollution, identify hotspots, and provide evidence to help improve water quality in the Dart catchment.Our lab work is only possible thanks to the Dartington Estate, who provide a safe, well-equipped space for us to carry out this important community-led monitoring. By combining field sampling with lab analysis, we can keep a close eye on water quality and share the story of the River Dart with the community.Stay tuned for more updates on our winter monitoring work, and don’t forget to check out the video to see the lab in action!