Membrane filters

● Membrane filters act as a barrier to separate microorganisms

● Microorganisms are filtered through a semipermeable membrane that
contains a dark background for observing cells.
● Cells are stained with fluorescent dyes and can be clearly visible on the
dark background.
● This method can distinguish between living and dead cells.

I. Viable count (indirect method)

A. Plate count method
➔ Pour plate method
➔ Spread plate method

B. Membrane filtration method

PRINCIPLE:

● Membrane filtering technique is based on a combination of two

phenomena.
● Firstly, the effect of physicochemical interactions between the
membrane and microorganisms.
● Second is the sieving effect, where the membrane acts as a sieve to filter
the microorganisms that are larger than the membrane's pore size.
● The membrane filters used have a specified uniform porosity (usually
0.45 µm) that is used to trap microorganisms greater than 0.45 µm.
● These membrane filters are widely used in laboratories for the isolation
and separation of microbes.

Method of membrane filtration