List of Techniques

Aseptic techniques- sterile conditions

1.  Before any lab, make sure you have proper PPE; closed toe shoes, hair up, goggles, and proper clothes. 
2. Disinfect surface of lab area with alcohol.
3. don't touch the mouth of any tubes or samples; they are all sterilized.
4. Make sure not to touch any samples either and us sterilized forceps to grab anything at all. (once forceps are used for one sample they can't be used again unless sterilized.)
   1. Sterilization can be achieved by flaming or by using alcohol and/or bleach.
5. If working with bacteria make sure to cover the plate when pouring agar or when plating the bacteria with a flamed inoculating loop; this will ensure no other bacteria get onto the plate and mess with data or samples. 
6. Don't talk or breath over, or close to, the samples. This helps less bacteria fall onto the plate. 
7. At the end of any lab, clean up the lab area. Your samples may be safe now but lab areas still need to be sterilized and everything needs to be put away. 

Lab equipment techniques- things to know and follow

• When pipetting make sure not to crank the measurement handle too fast or the pipet with break. 
• Will measuring opt for the micropipet, it's the most accurate tool for measuring.
• Make sure all of the plate is covered when spreading bacteria.
• DO NOT pour extra molten agar into a plate that as already cooled and DO NOT invert plates too fast. Also, make sure to invert plate before condensation forms.
• Remember to not stretch parafilm too much.  
• When flaming, make sure loop turns red and let it cool before touching any of the samples.

​

micropipetting

1. Grab micropipet and a place a fresh tip on the end.
2. Set the number to the amount wished to pipet, never going over or under the max and min.
3. Place tip into sample and press down on the button all of the way. Leave the tip in the sample when slowly letting go of the button to ensure that there is no bubbles in the picked up sample.
4. Take pipet to another dish or tube and make sure pipet is touching the bottom wall area. Press all the way down on the button.
5. If you want to pipet a new sample get rid of the tip by pushing the side lever down and attach a new one. 

Gram Staining

1. Place a drop of bacteria on a slide.
2. Take a drop of crystal violet and drop onto bacterial slide and let sit for a minute
3. Rinse
4. Take another sterile dropper and drop a drop of iodine onto sample and let sit for a minute
5. Rinse
6. Drop a drop of alcohol onto slide and let sit for 30 seconds
7. Rinse
8. Drop a drop of safarine and let sit for a minute
9. Rinse
10. Examine the sample under the slide and observe