DISCARD AREAS:

• All materials are decontaminated before disposal or cleaning.
• Used SLIDES and COVERSLIDES are disposed of in the buckets in the sink at the end of the benech.
• CONTAMINATED PASTEUR-PIPETS and COTTON SWABS are discarded in the plastic containers at the end of each bench.
• GLASS PIPETS are discarded tips down into large white plastic containers located on your bench.
• Contaminated PETRI DISHES arc stacked eight high, right side up in autoclave trays located on the discard carts.
• All labels and tape must be removed from TUBES. Green scrubbies are available for removing labels. Tubes should be placed by size, right side up in the appropriate baskets on the gray carts.
• Remember, the bacteria on the plates and in the tubes are pathogenic and must be decontaminated by steam sterilization. Do not contaminate our common area or the Microbiology Teaching Service personnel

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INCUBATION OF CULTURES:
The limiting nutrient for microorganisms is water. Solid culture media consists of water, various growth factors, and agar. At 37°C water evaporates rapidly, the agar dries out and the bacteria die. To maintain a humid environment Petri plates should be incubated in a box or plastic Petri plate sleeve. Petri plates and tubes should be labelled with your name or lab ID number, the organism, date and an abbreviated description of the growth medium. In most cases, plates should be incubated upside down to reduce the amount of water condensate. If antibiotic or antitoxin discs are used, incubate the plates right side up. Most of the strains of bacteria cultured in this lab are incubated in the walk-in 37°C incubator located in this room. One side of the incubator is reserved for Micbio 552 students. Bacteria that are grown in a CO2 atmosphere are incubated in candle jars, anaerobic gas-paks, an anaerobic glove bag or in a CO2 incubator.