Science Buddies: "Ask an Expert"

How can I test the bacterial content in water and identify the bacteria at a reasonable cost?

Thanks for your help!!

This site contains instructions on a variety of methods including for people who don't necessarily have the required equipment for more accurate counts:
http://www.disknet.com/indiana_biolab/b038.htm

Good luck!

monanejad wrote:How can I test the bacterial content in water and identify the bacteria at a reasonable cost?

Thanks for your help!!

This is the same question you asked in the physical science forum- you got several detailed suggestions over there. You should use this information to formulate more specific questions, not just ask the same question over again!


Louise

hey there

try checkin out this pdf file it has different procedures of how to deal with cultures of bacteria and agar dishes...there are about 40 pgs of info im sure it may help at least a lil bit

Monanejad,
A good way to start off is to procure maybe a 3L sample of your water, to make sure you have enough for bacterial tests. Next, you can run your water through a filter. This is done typically with a dual-chambered device: a controlled amount of water is poured into the first chamber, a vacuum is attached to the second chamber, and filter paper separates the two chambers. The filter paper has about 0.22 micron pores. This way the bacteria are attached to the filter paper, while the water runs through. There are also 0.5 micron and 0.9 micron filter papers; it depends on what kind of bacteria you seek to identify and count.
When the filtration process is completed, you can just put the filter paper onto agar, face down so the bacteria side faces the agar.
Another word of caution, if you are to use this procedure: test different quantities of water to filter, because bacterial concentration may vary a great deal from source to source. If the bacterial concentration is too high, you see a lawn on your agar; too low, you see nothing.

hey there

sorry i forgot to post the website for help for your topic

http://www.aai.org/committees/education ... stesen.pdf