Ward's World Activity Guides

Wards_Pouring_Plates_LMCS

View, download, and print free resources for your science classroom.

Issue link: https://wardsworld.wardsci.com/i/1465084

Contents of this Issue

Navigation

Page 0 of 1

Page 1 Pouring Plates from Prepared Bottled Media Primary Hazard Considerations Never purchase living specimens without having a disposition strategy in place. When pouring bottles, agar is HOT! Burning can occur. Always handle hot agar bottles with heat-protective gloves. For added protection wear latex or nitrile gloves when working with bacteria, and always wash hands before and after with hot water and soap. Availability Agar is available for purchase year round. Information • Storage: Bottled agar can be stored at room temperature for about six months unless otherwise specified. Never put agar in the freezer. It will cause the agar to breakdown and become unusable. To prevent contamination keep all bottles and Petri dishes sealed until ready to use. Pouring Plates Materials Needed: • Draft-free enclosure or Laminar flow hood • 70% isopropyl alcohol • Petri dishes • Microwave or hot water bath or autoclave 1. Melt the agar using one of the following methods: a) Autoclave: Loosen the cap on the agar bottle and autoclave the bottle at 15 PSI for five minutes. While wearing heat-protective gloves, carefully remove the hot bottle and let it cool to between 75 – 55°C before pouring. This takes approximately 15 minutes. b) Water Bath: Loosen the cap on the agar bottle and place it into a water bath. Water temperature should remain at around 100°C. Leave it in the water bath until the agar is completely melted. While wearing heat-protective gloves, carefully remove the hot bottle and let it cool to between 75 – 55°C before pouring. c) Microwave: Loosen the cap on the agar bottle before microwaving. Heat in one minute intervals on low power until all of the agar is melted. Between intervals, gently swirl the bottle to make sure the agar is melting evenly. While wearing heat-protective gloves, carefully remove the hot bottle and let it cool to between 75 – 55°C before pouring. Figure 1

Articles in this issue

Archives of this issue

view archives of Ward's World Activity Guides - Wards_Pouring_Plates_LMCS