DESCRIPTION
ONLINE INSTRUCTIONS: Find your kit instructions on Science Buddies.
Put bacteria to the test with the Science Buddies Neutralizing Bacteria Kit!
Say "E. coli" and most people think about food poisoning. But there's a strain of Escherichia coli living in your intestines right now that's completely harmless, the same strain included in this kit. Students use it to test real ways of killing, treating, or neutralizing bacteria, ranging from UV light to silver nanoparticles to antibiotic creams.
This kit includes the basic materials needed for running genuine microbiology experiments. One kit supports several different Science Buddies investigations, from testing acne medications to measuring how metals affect bacterial growth. Depending on the project you choose, you may also need extra supplies like soil, sterile water, over-the-counter acne medication, or household items. Check the linked instructions page for exactly what each project needs.
Concepts covered:
- Aseptic technique for safely growing and handling a live bacterial culture
- How antimicrobial methods, including UV light, antibiotics, and metals, affect bacterial growth
- Designing a controlled experiment to measure antimicrobial effectiveness
- Why understanding bacteria matters in medicine, materials science, and everyday products
The E. coli sample arrives as a freeze-dried pellet with instructions for storage and preparation. While safe, this is a living culture so how you store and handle it affects whether it grows. See the Specification tab below for more information.
Please note: Prepared agar plates ship separately, are non-refundable, and cannot be cancelled once an order is placed.
MORE INFORMATION
CONTENTS
Science Buddies Neutralizing Bacteria Kit contents:
- Prepared Nutrient Agar Culture Dishes
- Sterile swabs
- Nitrile gloves
- Sensitivity Discs, sterile, pack of 50
- Freeze Dried Cultures of Escherichia coli (E. coli) bacteria
SPECIFICATIONS
This kit includes living E. coli samples and preprepared agar plates. Review the following information about the sample for best experience with this kit.
Refrigeration: While the culture can sit out for 3-4 weeks, it is best to get the culture into the refrigerator as soon as it is received. Do not store in freezer.
Growth Time: E. coli can double in approximately 20 minutes under ideal conditions, but a more realistic incubation period is about 3 days.
Appearance: Individual E. coli are 1-2 micrometers in length and approximately 1 micrometer diameter. E. coli colonies are off-white or beige. They have a cloudy film over their surface that can look like a mucus.
Growth Conditions: E. coli is capable of being anaerobic, but the species grows best at 37°C (98.6°F) in aerobic conditions.
Agar Dishes: The plates do not necessarily need to be refrigerated. However, please note that the agar plates are good for up to 6 months when stored at room temperature and up to 12 months when refrigerated.
