ValeraJMP_ACTIVITY 3

1. Why are complex media preferable to chemically defined media for routine

cultivation of microorganisms?

Because peptones and beef extract are sufficient to cover the nutritional growth
requirements of the majority of bacteria, complex media is favored over chemically
specified medium for regular microbe production.

2. Give two examples of differential media and indicate the purpose of each

medium.

Blood agar and Eosin Methylene Blue are two examples of differential media. Eosin
Methylene Blue is often used to isolate fecal coliform and blood agar is used to cultivate
a wide range of pathogens.

3. You are asked by your laboratory instructor to prepare nutrient agar for your group.
According to the manufacturer’s instruction, 28 grams of nutrient agar powder should be
suspended in 1 liter of distilled water. How many grams of nutrient agar powder is needed
to prepare 10 big agar slants and 15 agar plates? Show your solution.
4. Tryptic Soy Agar (TSA) is a general growth medium used for the isolation and
cultivation of microorganisms. You need to prepare 20 agar plates, 5 big agar
slants and 15 small agar slants. Since dehydrated TSA is not available in the
lab, you searched for its components. The table below shows the composition
of TSA per liter of solution:

How much of each component is needed to prepare the medium for the whole class?
Show your calculations.
5. Provide one advantage and disadvantage for each type of sterilization methods

Steam under pressure, filtrations, and UV radiation are all examples of sterilizing
procedures. Filtration by saturated steam has the benefit of successfully killing
microorganisms. The drawback of this procedure is that it has a significant risk of inflicting
burns, can damage heat-sensitive equipment, and can induce rust on wet equipment. The
benefit of filtration sterilization is that it just eliminates germs rather than destroying them,
and it may be used with heat-sensitive liquids and gases.

The sole disadvantage of the filtering process is that filters are costly, can only be used
with liquids and gases, membrane filters are prone to rupture, and glass filters are brittle
and readily shatter. UV radiation produces erythema, sunburn, photodamage
(photoaging), photocarcinogenesis, damage to the eyes, change of the skin's immune
system, and chemical sensitivities, depending on the amount and kind of radiation, as
well as the skin type of the individual exposed.