Expression of Concern: Integrating running water monitoring tools with the Micro Biological Survey (MBS) method to improve water quality assessment

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After this article [1] was published, concerns were raised regarding undisclosed potential competing interests. Based on information gathered in editorial follow-up, the updated competing interests statement is: GA is inventor of the Micro Biological Survey (MBS) method, a colorimetric method for counting bacterial load. This article [1] evaluates the validity of the MBS method for assessing bacterial load in running water. GA is listed as an inventor of patent EP2041297 (for a colorimetric bacterial load detection method); MBS SRL, a spin-off company of Roma Tre University that commercializes products based on MBS method, is the current assignee and owned the patent at the time of publication of [1]. GA supervises technical activities of MBS SRL on behalf of Roma Tre University, but does not receive financial support from MBSSRL. At the time of publication of this article [1], GA was a shareholder of MBS Diagnostics Limited, which developed an MBS-based test for use in urinary tract infections; MBS Diagnostics Limited is the assignee of patent EP3433606A1.

GA disagrees that the above information falls within the scope of the interests that must be declared for this article per the journal’s editorial policy.

During editorial follow-up, a member of the PLOS One Editorial Board raised the following concerns with regards to the methodology and limitations in [1] which were not resolved upon discussion with the authors:

The last author provided the following clarifications around the limitations of [1]:

The PLOS One Editors issue this Expression of Concern to make readers aware of the limitations of [1] and the unresolved methodological concerns listed above, as well as the information about undeclared potential competing interests.