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Rapid Methods Demonstration Project

Rapid Methods Demonstration Project at Four New Jersey Marine Beaches using Quantitative Polymerase Chain Reaction (qPCR)

Summer 2011

The New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection, United States Environmental Protection Agency, and Ocean County are continuing a project using new technologies based on DNA replication to quickly determine (same day) bathing beach water quality.

This demonstration project is a culmination of studies conducted in the summers of 2007-2010.  This demonstration project will include sampling at four marine bathing beaches in the Toms River area of Ocean County and will provide Enterococcus data for beach management decisions on the same day that samples are collected. Advisories will be issued if needed.  This demonstration project will also test the ability to collect, analyze and report bacteriological sample using a more rapid method for determination of Enterococcus, an indicator of human and/or human waste, in marine bathing beach samples.

Monitoring using this new rapid method will begin on July 5, 2011 at the following bay beaches:

• Windward Beach, Brick Township
• Avon Road, Pine Beach Borough
• Beachwood Beach, Beachwood Borough
• Anglesea, Ocean Gate Borough

qPCR monitoring results will be posted as soon as they are available and can be viewed by clicking on the link below:

qPCR Monitoring Data/Results

Additional Information

Click on the links below for additional information about the demonstration project and the qPCR method:

Quality Assurance Project Plan	qPCR Fact Sheet	Public Information Fact Sheet