This microbiology kit has been designed as an introduction to the study of micro‐organisms
The booklet has been written for the teacher who has little or no experience of handling micro‐organisms and includes full instructions on safety, aseptic techniques, growing micro‐organisms and their safe disposal
All of the experiments are set out step by step and cover a range of needs from 12‐year‐olds to sixth‐form students
The kit could be used by a single student working through all the experiments or by a group working in parallel
The reagents, cultures and media can be stored for several months, particularly if they are refrigerated
It is possible to keep cultures for longer periods, providing they are sub‐cultured on to fresh medium at regular intervals
Experiments included in the teaching notes are as follows:Making broth cultures
Effects of temperature
Making plate cultures
Effect of antibiotics
Gram's staining
Negative staining
Pasteurisation
Examining living bacteria
How fungi obtain food
Bacteria around us
Looking at fungi
Bacteria in soil
The life cycle of Mucor
Bacteria in milkThe kit contains:Fungi Cultures: Aspergillus oryzae, Mucor+, Mucor‐,
Bacterial Cultures: Penicillium chrysogenum, Bacillus stearothermophilus, Staphylococcus albus, Escherica coli,.10 x nutrient agar deeps.5 x nutrient broths.1 x starch agar.1 x malt extract agar.1 x china blue lactose agar.20 x petri dishes.1 x universal container.1 pair of gloves.50 pre‐cleaned slides.100 x 18mm square coverslips.2 x sterile pipettes.5 x cavity slides.1 x inoculating loop
Chinagraph Pencil.3 x disposal bags.1 x alcohol bottle (empty).1 x Grams Iodine.1 x Crystal Violet.1 x Neutral Red.1 x Aniline Blue.1 x nigrosine.1 x 10% Resazurin Tablets.10 x Streptomycin ‐ 25 units.10 x Penicillin ‐ 1.5 units.10 x Penicillin ‐ 5 unitsAll parts of the kit can be replaced from our extensive range of cultures, media, reagents and equipment
Additional materials and equipment required:Adhesive Tape
Cotton Wool
Blotting/filter paper
Absolute Alcohol (Industrial methylated spirit)
Sodium Hypochlorite or domestic bleach
Vaseline
Immersion Oil
Formalin
Bunsen Burner, tripod & gauze
Water bath (or beaker of water)
Test Tubes & bungs
Incubator (optional)
Thermometer
Microscope with Abbe condenser, capable of 400x and 1000x magnification
Stereo Microscope
Forceps
Dissecting needle
BeakersPlease note: Alcohol has been omitted from the kit, although an empty bottle for it is provided
This enables the kit to be send freely by post and air
