Neutralizing Bacteria Kit

With the Science Buddies Neutralizing Bacteria Kit, explore how to kill, treat, or neutralize E. coli bacteria. Try any of six projects developed by Science Buddies scientists for kids to use in tandem with this experiment kit.

One crazy method is "feeding" the bacteria to Earth's most abundant animal (that you may have never heard of!). Another tests common pimple creams, which might help kids choose which one to use on their own acne. And two other projects explore how bacteria interacts with metals.

The Neutralizing Bacteria Kit includes prepared agar plates, sterile gloves and swabs, and a Escherichia Coli Bacteria-Freeze Dried Culture. The easy-to-use freeze-dried culture is a safe strain that's found in your intestines—not the kind that causes food poisoning. E. coli is a gram-negative, facultative, anaerobic bacteria.

The E.coli sample arrives in a freeze-dried pellet with a rehydrating broth and agar slant with instructions. Then use the dropper tip to dispense the bacteria onto the prepared culture dishes.

Instructions for this kit are available online. See below links to the instructions and more.

Use the Neutralizing Bacteria Kit with the following projects, found online at Science Buddies:

• The End Zone: Measuring Antimicrobial Effectiveness with Zones of Inhibition
• Death Rays: What Duration of Ultraviolet Exposure Kills Bacteria?
• Which Acne Medication can Really Zap that Zit?
• Is the Gold in My Jewelry Real?
• Tiny Titans: Can Silver Nanoparticles Neutralize E. coli Bacteria?
• Worm Hunt: Isolating Soil Nematodes from Your Backyard

Please note: agar plates are non-refundable and cannot be cancelled once an order is placed.

Instructions are NOT included with the kit, but are available online from Science Buddies.

• Safety Information (SDS)

Science Buddies Neutralizing Bacteria Kit contents:

• 15 Nutrient-Agar-Prepared Culture Dishes
• 6 Sterile swabs
• 2 Pairs of nitrile gloves, size medium
• Sensitivity Discs, sterile, pack of 50
• 2 Escherichia Coli Bacteria-Freeze Dried Culture

You will also need from home:

Depending on which projects you do, additional supplies, like soil, permanent marker, sterile water, OTC acne medication, garlic powder, bleach, common lab supplies, and more, may be needed. Please consult the instructions for each project for a complete list of additional materials.

This kit includes an E. coli sample. 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, but has a more common incubation period of 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.