UNIT 1

LABORATORY GLASSWARE, EQUIPMENT,

AND INSTRUMENTS

GLASSWARE USES
Used when there is a need to culture microorganisms and for substances
Screw-Capped Tubes
that must be protected from contamination.
Centrifuge tubes Used with laboratory centrifuge for volumetric analysis of separable (solid-
liquid or immiscible liquid) samples
Used in microbiology to detect production of gas by microorganisms. An
inverted small tube is initially filled with the solution in which the
Durham Fermentation Tube
microorganism is to be grown. If gas is produced after inoculation and
incubation, a visible gas bubble will be trapped inside the small tube.
Has a closed vertical arm which extends into a bulbous portion with
tapered ending.
Smith Fermentation Tube
Simpler than Durham tube. Used also for observing microorganisms perform
fermentation.
Used to make agar plates for microbiology studies

Petri Dishes Petri plates are incubated upside down (agar on top) to lessen the risk of
contamination from settling airborne particles and to prevent water
condensation from accumulating and disturbing the cultured microbes.
Glassware calibrated for precise volume. Used for measuring or storing
Volumetric Flask
different amounts of liquid
Have a single graduation that allows it to deliver one specific volume
Volumetric Pipette
accurately
Serological or blow-out pipettes have no 0ml mark as that corresponds to
an empty pipette
Serologic Pipette
The volume is found by calculating the difference of the liquid level before
and after liquid is dispensed.
Used to observe specimens for a long time because they do not dry up
Hanging Drop Slide
very quickly. Thus, motility of an organism can be observed.
INSTRUMENTS USES
Makes it easy to deliver liquids, especially small volumes, accurately and
precisely
Pipettor

Has a disposable tip

Also called a smear loop, inoculation wand or microstreaker

Inoculating Loop Simple tool used to retrieve an inoculum from a culture of microorganisms.
The loop is used in the cultivation of microbes on plates by transferring
inoculum for streaking
Mainly used to pick a single colony(pure) and transfer in an agar slant
Inoculating Needle
(stab and streak method).
Holds multiple microscopic slides simultaneously for efficient staining
Staining Rack
processing
EQUIPMENT USES
Hot Air Sterilizer Uses DRY HEAT
 Longer sterilizing time is needed than Autoclave

For sterilizing media and other substances that are affected by moisture

Uses MOIST HEAT

Autoclave Causes coagulation and denaturation of bacterial proteins

Follows the principle of moist heat or steam under pressure

Cannot be used to sterilize culture media

Drying Oven
For drying samples or specimens as well as laboratory apparatus or
glassware
Used to store culture media

Refrigerator
To preserve the morphological characteristics of microorganisms
To arrest growth of microorganisms
An apparatus in which environmental conditions, such as temperature and
Incubator humidity, can be controlled, often used for growing bacterial cultures or
providing suitable conditions for a chemical or biological reaction.
Device that maintains water at a constant temperature.

Water Bath
It is used in the microbiological laboratory for incubations or enabling
chemical reactions to occur at higher temperatures
Equipment driven by a motor, which spins liquid samples at high speed.

Centrifuge
Works by the sedimentation principle, where the centrifugal acceleration is
used to separate substances of greater and lesser density.
An enclosed, ventilated laboratory workspace for safely working with
pathogens requiring a defined biosafety level.
Biosafety Cabinet
Serves as a means to protect the laboratory worker and the surrounding
environment from pathogens.
A system of accurately ground lenses arranged to give sharp, clear,
Microscope
magnified images of minute objects