Name: Amy
Status: Other
Age: 20s
Location: N/A
Country: N/A
Date: October 2002
Question:
I want to conduct a hand washing experiment in which I vary
scrub time, soap amt, & temp of H20. What type of nutrient agar plate
should I use? I don't know which type to order...there are so many.
Also, what conditions do the agar plates need to be in pre and during
the experiment? thanks, Amy
Replies:
Plain nutrient agar should be fine. You will want to have the agar in a
liquid state (molten, temp. 45-50 degrees C-any cooler and it will
solidify). The agar can be melted by boiling, and then held in a water
bath at 45 degrees until use. Then pour it into a sterile plastic petri
dish and put your fingertips into the molten agar. Let the agar
solidify and then incubate it upside down in an incubator at 37 degrees
C for 24 hrs. or at room temperature for 48 hrs.
NEWTON is an electronic community for Science, Math, and Computer Science K-12 Educators, sponsored and operated by Argonne National Laboratory's Educational Programs, Andrew Skipor, Ph.D., Head of Educational Programs.