The Peel Plate heterotrophic plate count (HPC) test from Hach simply peels open the test, pipets the sample, seals the test and incubates. No media preparation is required. The heterotrophic plate count, formerly known as the standard plate count, is a procedure for estimating the number of live heterotrophic bacteria in water. This test can provide useful information about water quality and supporting data on the significance of coliform test results. High concentrations of the general bacteria population may hinder the recovery of coliforms. 800/227-4224; www.hach.com.