BIOLOGY Volume 2 - A Guide to General Biology - 2004

12. MICROBIOLOGY AND BIOTECHNOLOGY

12.2. Culture Media

12.2.4. Ready-Made Media

Dry media containing Agar and all necessary components are commercially available. They are usually soaked in Water for 15 min and then autoclaved in flasks or bottles for 15 min at 121 °C to ensure sterilization. During the autoclaving process, the medium mixes and dissolves. Water boils under pressure inside the autoclave, which is sealed with a safety valve designed to release steam once the required pressure is reached. The higher the pressure, the higher the boiling point of water. This method is used to sterilize solutions and equipment, such as glassware. To destroy all Bacteria and their resistant spores, an incubation period of 15–20 min at a pressure of 103 kPa (kN/m2) is generally sufficient. At this pressure, the Temperature inside the autoclave reaches 121 °C.



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