Highly porous, beads are comprised of a polymer and a second compound mixed
into it. The second compound, an amendment, is either a nutrient or a compound
having high affinity to one or more nutrients. A plurality of these beads may be
exposed to an aqueous environment, usually a body of water. Bacteria and other
microorganisms rapidly enter and remain within the nutrient filled interior space
of the beads. Any of a number of various detection methods may then be used to
characterize, detect and/or identify the microorganisms.
