This week in the lab was really interesting. Josh, Matt and I discussed changing up the method of identifying bacteria.We are now testing for coliforms! Coliform bacteria are typically used to test for food and water sanitary quality. Fecal coliforms, E.Coli and K. Pneumoniae, are good indicators of fecal pollution and can be differentiated from other types of coliforms by incubating in certain media at around 45 degrees C.
For one to test for coliforms, there are three steps to take, the first being the presumptive step where a lactose broth medium (I used Lactose Lauryl Tryptose broth) which will allow for potentially stressed coliforms to be recovered and grow. The positive tubes from the Lactose broth will then be inoculated into a more selective medium EC Broth (which I prepared yesterday) and will be using it next week for the next process of identification. I feel that this method of testing is really cool and can't wait to go back to the lab tomorrow to see what the results turn out to be. I am still sampling the doorknobs every Tuesday and Thursday and counting the CFU's (colony forming units) but my main focus for the second half of this semester in the lab is to identify bacterial types.
In other STEM news, as many of you know, I am also a STEM Scholar and this week we hosted our first ever "Teach Me about STEM" event on the courtyard outside of the cafeteria. Myself and other STEM Scholars taught students about strawberry DNA extraction and they really seemed to find it interesting and took the DNA home with them in a little closed test tube. I really enjoyed putting this event together and participating in it as I enjoy interactive activities. Here are a few pictures from that day :)
These are pictures of the EC Medium I made. I haven't made medium or agar plates since the beginning of the semester so I was really exited about doing it again. I can't wait until next week as I will be using the medium that I made for the next process in identifying bacteria types.
Drum Roll please!!!
Picture of the Week is another one of the sunset! I absolutely love the sun so I was really happy to see the beautiful sunset this week on my way out of calculus class. So beautiful!
I hope you all had a successfully productive week and an even better weekend! Remember to treat yourself to something nice, you deserve it!
Greetings,
Khadidja M.
In other STEM news, as many of you know, I am also a STEM Scholar and this week we hosted our first ever "Teach Me about STEM" event on the courtyard outside of the cafeteria. Myself and other STEM Scholars taught students about strawberry DNA extraction and they really seemed to find it interesting and took the DNA home with them in a little closed test tube. I really enjoyed putting this event together and participating in it as I enjoy interactive activities. Here are a few pictures from that day :)
These are pictures of the EC Medium I made. I haven't made medium or agar plates since the beginning of the semester so I was really exited about doing it again. I can't wait until next week as I will be using the medium that I made for the next process in identifying bacteria types.
Drum Roll please!!!
Picture of the Week is another one of the sunset! I absolutely love the sun so I was really happy to see the beautiful sunset this week on my way out of calculus class. So beautiful!
Greetings,
Khadidja M.
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