Name: Kenya
Status: student
Grade: 6-8
Location: AL
Country: USA
Date: Fall 2011
Question:
I am an eighth grader who is interested in biochemistry. I want to look at bacteria and their zone of inhibition with the use of antibiotics in combination with complementary substances like green tea and simple sugars. I know how to create my bacteria plates and create a zone of inhibition with the antibiotic discs, however how do I test the use of the complements with the antibiotic at the same time? Do I use a droplet to drop the substance on the antibiotic disc or do I put the substance around the antibiotic?
Replies:
NEWTON BBS does not recommend growing/culturing bacteria without the supervision of a microbiologist, and a properly equipped microbiology laboratory. Safety is our main concern! Growing dangerous bacteria species unknowingly is a real possibility and serious illness may occur without proper handling techniques. Furthermore, without proper bacterial disposal procedures such as an autoclave can guarantee, there is a danger to anyone who comes in contact after disposal.
If you want to test any compound follow the follow the steps described below.
1. Cut small discs of Filter paper with punch whole machine (sationery item store sell that).
2. Place the small discs in a beaker and autoclave them.
3. Now filter sterlize the compound you want to test by passing through a syringe attached filter.
4. Place the discs on the culture where you want to test the compound.
5. Now with the micro-pippette pour the compound on to the filter disc so that it gets completely soaked but not too wet. Keep record of the liquid dispensed for calculating MIC.
6. USE ASEPTIC TECHNIQUE THROUGHOUT your microbiology experiments.
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