Inter-Laboratory Agreement of the Multiple Tube Fermentation Technique (MTFT) for Coliform Enumeration in Philippine Drinking Water Laboratories

Author(s)	Janiah Allani, Nicolle Anne A. Dajang, Micah D. Reyes, Ma. Mechaella A. Tinio, Camille P.Roz
Country	Philippines
Abstract	This study assessed the reproducibility of the Multiple Tube Fermentation Technique (MTFT) for coliform detection across three Philippine laboratories. While all identified contamination trends, significant variability was observed in quantitative results, especially at low contamination levels (CV = 104.57%) and in pairwise comparisons (up to 176%). Reliability metrics (ICC and Fleiss' kappa) indicated poor inter-laboratory agreement. Although statistical tests showed no significant differences, the overall findings highlight limited reproducibility under routine conditions. Improving quality assurance, standardization, and inter-laboratory programs is essential to enhance consistency, regulatory decision-making, and drinking water safety monitoring.
Field	Biology
Published In	Volume 8, Issue 4, July-August 2026
Published On	2026-07-06
DOI	https://doi.org/10.36948/ijfmr.2026.v08i04.83059

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