Culturing and Measuring Bacterial Growth
Working with bacteria in the lab requires strict aseptic technique to prevent contamination. This includes washing hands, sterilising work surfaces with disinfectant, using a Bunsen burner to create a sterile area, and properly sterilising all equipment before and after use.
Bacteria need specific growth conditions to thrive in the laboratory. The most common medium is agar, which contains carbon, nitrogen, water, vitamins, and mineral salts. Some bacteria have special requirements – they might need blood agar or specific temperatures to grow. In schools, bacteria are cultured at 25°C to avoid growing human pathogens.
Scientists measure bacterial growth using two main methods: total count and viable count. Total count measures all cells present (living and dead), while viable count only measures living cells capable of reproducing. Before counting, scientists perform serial dilutions (1:10, 1:100, etc.) to make the bacterial population manageable to count.
Pro tip: When conducting a viable count, always choose the plate with the largest number of distinct, non-overlapping colonies to increase the reliability of your count!