Rapid Microbiology Testing
Laboratories & Research
Accelerate Growth with Rapid Microbial Testing Services
By implementing rqmicro's rapid microbial testing solutions, analytical laboratories can transform microbiological testing from a traditional reporting service into a high-value decision-support offering. Rapid quantification of viable microorganisms enables laboratories to provide customers with actionable microbial data within hours, helping them identify contamination risks earlier and make faster operational decisions.
This enhanced capability allows laboratories to expand their service portfolio, strengthen customer relationships, and address growing demand for rapid microbiological insights across industrial, environmental, facility management, and manufacturing applications.
The result is a more competitive laboratory business with increased revenue opportunities, improved customer retention, and a stronger position as a trusted partner in contamination control and microbial risk management.
Pressure on Traditional Testing Models
Analytical laboratories operate in an increasingly competitive environment where customers expect fast turnaround times, actionable insights, and measurable business value. At the same time, laboratories face pressure to improve productivity, manage staffing constraints, and maintain profitable growth.
- Increasing demand for faster results
- Customers are under growing pressure to make timely operational and quality-related decisions. Traditional culture-based methods often require several days before results can be reported, limiting the value laboratories can provide when rapid action is required.
- Competition and pricing pressure
- Many microbiology laboratories offer similar testing services using established methods. As testing services become increasingly commoditized, laboratories face challenges in differentiating their offerings and maintaining healthy margins.
- Capacity and workforce limitations
- Laboratories must process growing sample volumes while managing limited staffing resources and increasing operational costs. Scaling microbiological testing capacity often requires significant investments in personnel, infrastructure, and laboratory space.
- Demand for greater customer value
- Customers increasingly seek partners who can provide actionable insights rather than simply delivering analytical results. Laboratories that cannot support faster decision-making and proactive risk management may struggle to deepen customer relationships and expand their service footprint.
Laboratories that successfully address these challenges can move beyond transactional testing services and establish themselves as strategic partners to their customers. Rapid microbial quantification provides a powerful opportunity to create additional value while improving both commercial and operational performance.
How We Help
Integrating Rapid Microbiology into Commercial Laboratory Services
rqmicro supports analytical laboratories in introducing rapid microbial quantification as a scalable and commercially attractive service offering. The implementation process is designed to establish technical confidence, ensure operational efficiency, and create a strong foundation for business growth.
1
Opportunity Assessment
rqmicro works with the laboratory to identify customer segments, testing applications, and market opportunities where rapid microbial data can create measurable value. Together, we define the highest-impact applications and commercial priorities.
2
Technical Evaluation
Representative customer samples are analyzed to demonstrate analytical performance and application suitability. The generated data provides confidence in result quality while helping the laboratory define service offerings and reporting concepts.
3
Operational Integration
The rqmicro platform is integrated into existing laboratory workflows, quality systems, and reporting processes. Laboratory personnel receive practical training to ensure efficient operation and consistent service delivery.
4
Commercial Deployment
The laboratory launches rapid microbial testing services to existing and prospective customers. By combining fast microbial quantification with expert interpretation and consulting support, the laboratory creates a differentiated service that delivers clear customer value.
Benefits for Your Operation
Driving Growth, Efficiency, and Customer Success
Rapid microbial quantification creates value across both the commercial and operational dimensions of laboratory services. Laboratories can improve customer outcomes while simultaneously increasing productivity, expanding service offerings, and strengthening financial performance.
Generate New Revenue Streams
Rapid microbial testing enables laboratories to introduce premium service offerings that address applications where speed and actionable information are critical. This creates opportunities to access new markets, attract new customers, and increase revenue per client.
Strengthen Customer Retention and Acquisition
Providing faster and more actionable microbiological information helps customers solve operational challenges more effectively. Laboratories become valued partners rather than testing providers, strengthening customer loyalty and supporting long-term business relationships.
Increase Laboratory Productivity
Faster analytical workflows enable laboratories to process more samples and deliver results more efficiently. Higher throughput improves capacity utilization and supports business growth without requiring proportional increases in staffing or infrastructure.
Improve Profitability and Competitive Position
By combining operational efficiency with differentiated, high-value services, laboratories can improve margins while reducing exposure to price-based competition. Rapid microbial testing supports a more resilient business model built on expertise, responsiveness, and customer impact.
Solutions for This Application
Brief introduction explaining how the products support this application.
rqmicro.COUNT
A cartridge-based flow cytometer that rapidly quantifies total viable bacteria and specific pathogens using the rqmicro Test Kits. The instrument delivers actionable results in as little as 30 minutes. rqmicro.COUNT is designed for both laboratory and on-site use, enabling reliable microbiological monitoring.
Key Benefits
- Decentralized testing
- High-speed single-cell analysis
- Easy to use
Cloud Solution
The rqmicro Cloud Solution is a secure, browser-based platform for storing, analyzing, and sharing microbiological test results. With customizable dashboards, automated alerts, and reporting tools, it supports efficient monitoring, compliance, and data-driven decision-making across multiple sites.
Key Benefits
- Centralized Data Management
- Real-Time Monitoring & Alerts
- Simplified Reporting & Compliance
Test Kits
The rqmicro Test Kits are ready-to-use assay kits designed for rapid microbiological water analysis with rqmicro.COUNT. Available for Intact Cell Count (ICC), Legionella, and E. coli, they combine simple sample preparation with highly sensitive detection to deliver fast, reliable, and actionable results.
Key Benefits
- Rapid Results
- Reliable Detection
- Easy-to-Use Workflow
Frequently Asked Questions
Here are some common questions about the test method, instrumentation and user requirements.
rqmicro combines three core technologies in a single workflow:
- Microbiological Assays detection and quantification of microorganisms including immunoassays for the selective quantification of target bacteria.
- Microfluidic cartridge technology with integrated immunomagnetic separation (IMS) for automated sample processing.
- Flow Cytometry for rapid detection and quantification of bacteria, including viability assessment.
This integrated approach enables rapid microbiological testing without the need for lengthy cultivation steps.
Single-use cartridges provide several advantages:
- Ensure standardized workflows
- Reduce maintenance requirements
- Minimize the risk of cross-contamination
- Eliminate complex cleaning procedures
- Enable operation by non-specialist users
The cartridge-based design supports both laboratory and field applications.
The rqmicro platform is designed for the detection and quantification of total bioburden and also specific bacteria. Depending on the assay, users can analyze:
- Total viable bacteria (Intact Cell Count)
- Total bacteria (Total Cell Count)
- Legionella (L.p. SG 1, L.p. SG 1-15 and Legionella spp.)
- E. coli (incl. Big 6 and O157)
Traditional culture methods only detect microorganisms that grow on agar plates. Many bacteria can remain viable but fail to form colonies under cultivation conditions.
rqmicro uses cultivation-independent flow cytometry, allowing the detection of viable cells regardless of their ability to grow on culture media. This provides faster results and a more complete picture of microbial contamination.
Flow cytometry is a laser-based analytical method that measures individual cells suspended in a fluid stream.
As cells pass through the laser beam, fluorescent signals are generated and detected by the instrument. Thousands of cells can be analyzed every second, enabling rapid and highly sensitive microbiological testing.
rqmicro uses fluorescence-based flow cytometry together with viability staining. Fluorescent dyes interact differently with live and dead cells based on membrane integrity and physiological status.
The instrument analyzes these fluorescence patterns to distinguish viable cells from non-viable cells, providing rapid live/dead information within the measurement process.
Viability information helps users:
- Assess microbiological risk more accurately
- Evaluate treatment effectiveness
- Detect bacteria that may be missed by culture methods
- Monitor changes in water systems in near real time
This enables faster operational decisions and improved process control.
VBNC stands for Viable But Non-Culturable.
These bacteria are alive and may remain metabolically active, but they do not grow on standard culture media. As a result, conventional cultivation methods can underestimate the true microbial load.
Flow cytometry can detect these cells, allowing a more comprehensive assessment of water quality and microbiological risk.
qmicro.COUNT is designed for routine operation with minimal training.
Users do not need to be flow cytometry experts. The cartridge-based workflow and automated analysis reduce operator dependency and simplify routine testing.
Contact an Expert
Christophe Gutknecht
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