Total Bacterial Count Chromogenic Medium - BioReagent

Cat. No.: T1528748

GRADE & PURITY BioReagent

Storage

Store at 2-8°C

Shipped In

Wet ice

Übersicht

For total bacterial count determination; results within 24 hours; bacteria appear red

Specifications

Spezifikationen & Reinheit

BioReagent

Storage

Store at 2-8°C

Verschickt in

Wet ice

Dieses Produkt erfordert Kühlkettenversand. Grundversand und andere Economy-Optionen sind nicht verfügbar.

Note

BioReagent

Product Line

Biologische Produkte

Application Protocols

Item-specific facts (from Product Data)

• Manufacturer Applications: Not specified in catalog entry; refer to CoA/Spec Sheet.

General protocols (literature; adapt to your SOP)

1. Plate count (spread plate)

• Prepare sterile plates. Homogenize sample and prepare 10-fold serial dilutions in sterile diluent (e.g., buffered peptone water).
• Spread 100 µL of appropriate dilutions onto plate surface with a sterile spreader. Incubate inverted at 30–37°C for 24–48 h (optimize per matrix).
• Count colonies on plates with 30–300 CFU. Record color per chromogenic scheme; calculate CFU/mL or CFU/g.

2. Pour plate

• Mix 1 mL of dilution with ~15–20 mL molten medium (~45–50°C). Allow to solidify; incubate as above. Preferable for higher-count samples.

3. Membrane filtration (water testing)

• Filter measured volume (e.g., 100 mL) through 0.45 µm membrane. Place membrane on medium surface; incubate inverted. Count colored colonies.

4. Surface monitoring (swabs/contact plates)

• Streak swabbed area onto plate or press contact plate as per SOP. Incubate and interpret colony colors.

Notes

• Include positive/negative control strains for growth-promotion verification.
• If medium contains heat-labile chromogens, add supplements aseptically after cooling; protect plates from light if chromogens are photosensitive.

Biological Roles

Applicability

• The product itself is not a biomolecule but a formulated environment that supports bacterial growth.

General biological context (literature)

• Nutritional support: Peptones and yeast extract supply amino acids, peptides, vitamins, and growth factors required by diverse heterotrophic bacteria.
• Energy sources: Carbohydrates or other fermentable substrates may be present to fuel metabolism and amplify colony development.
• Buffering and osmotic balance: Phosphates and salts maintain near-neutral pH and isotonic conditions conducive to broad bacterial recovery.
• Chromogenic mechanism: Substrates cleaved by bacterial enzymes release colored aglycones or undergo dye-coupled reactions, simplifying differentiation of bacterial groups directly on plates.
• Microbial ecology utility: Enables enumeration from complex matrices and supports comparative studies of community burden under different treatments (e.g., sanitizers, storage conditions), in research settings.

Limitations

• Selectivity trade-offs: Chromogenic agents or mild inhibitors can bias recovery of certain taxa; validate against your target flora.
• Viable-but-nonculturable (VBNC) cells: Total bacterial counts by culture underestimate VBNC populations; pair with molecular methods if complete accounting is required.

Buffer Applications

Not typically applicable

• This product is a culture medium, not a defined buffering reagent for analytical chemistry or biochemistry assays.

Related practical notes (general)

• Many media incorporate buffers (e.g., phosphate) to maintain pH during incubation, typically near neutrality, but exact composition/pH range is formulation-specific.
• For dedicated buffering needs (enzyme assays, chromatography), use defined buffer systems (e.g., phosphate, Tris, HEPES) rather than complex media.

Green Alternatives

Context

• Culture media are aqueous, generally minimizing volatile organic solvent use. Environmental impact considerations focus on energy (autoclaving), plastic disposables, and waste from biohazard decontamination.

Greener practice suggestions (literature/general)

• Ready-to-use vs. in-house preparation: Ready-to-use plates reduce energy from autoclaving but increase packaging/shipping footprint. In-house preparation can reduce packaging but requires steam/energy; select based on local resources and throughput.
• Autoclave optimization: Load autoclaves efficiently, use validated shorter cycles for liquid volumes where permitted, and avoid unnecessary sterilization cycles to reduce energy consumption.
• Waste minimization: Use reusable glassware where biosafety permits; segregate non-biohazard from biohazard waste accurately. Neutralize small volumes chemically (per institutional policy) prior to disposal to reduce autoclave loads.
• Ingredient sourcing: Some media components (e.g., plant peptones) can substitute for animal-derived peptones to reduce animal footprint; choices are formulation-dependent and may affect performance.

Comparison table (general)

• Standard chromogenic TBC media: High performance and rapid readout; requires chromogen synthesis and specialized dyes.
• Non-chromogenic PCA/TSA: Lower material impact from specialty dyes; may require extra confirmatory testing, increasing labor/energy. Choose based on required specificity and throughput.

Pharmaceutical Uses

Scope

• No therapeutic applications. For research use only (per Product Data).

Relevant non-clinical/industrial contexts (literature/general)

• Environmental monitoring and bioburden testing in research and development labs or non-GMP pilot settings, where chromogenic differentiation can accelerate presumptive characterization.
• Raw material or process water assessments to trend total aerobic count in development laboratories.
• Method suitability and recovery studies for specific matrices, comparing chromogenic total count media with compendial agars (e.g., USP/EP-referenced media) where appropriate in non-clinical research.

Notes

• Regulatory compendia often specify particular media for release testing; verify suitability before adopting chromogenic alternatives in regulated workflows.
• Document growth-promotion testing with defined strains for each lot if using in quality-related studies.

Physical Properties

Item-specific facts (from Product Data)

• Appearance: Not specified for this item; refer to CoA/Spec Sheet.

General properties (literature/typical for chromogenic plate-count media; not item-specific)

• Physical form: Commonly supplied as a homogeneous, free-flowing dehydrated powder or as pre-poured plates. Hygroscopicity varies with salt/sugar content.
• Color (dehydrated): Off-white to beige; turns colored upon colony growth due to chromogens. Exact hue varies by formulation.
• Solubility (prior to sterilization): Freely dispersible in purified water at prescribed g/L to form a clear to slightly opalescent solution before gelling (if agar present). Agar gels typically at ~35–40°C; melts ~85–90°C (literature for standard agar).
• pH (at use concentration): Frequently adjusted around pH 6.8–7.3 at 25°C; exact setpoint is formulation-dependent.
• Sterilization: Typically by autoclaving at 121°C for 15–20 min if medium is heat-stable and not supplied ready-to-use. Some chromogens are heat-sensitive and may be filter-sterilized or added post-autoclave (literature note).

Not applicable as specifications for this specific item

• Density, refractive index, logP, defined melting/boiling points: Not applicable to a complex mixture/gel and not specified for this item; refer to CoA/Spec Sheet.

Quality and Grades

Item-specific facts (from Product Data)

• Grade: BioReagent.

What BioReagent grade implies (general guidance)

• Intended use: Laboratory research workflows requiring reliable performance but not necessarily GMP-compliant manufacturing. Suitable for routine microbiology, method development, and QC in research environments.
• Performance focus: Growth promotion and chromogenic response with representative control strains are typically used to qualify lots. Consult the lot-specific Certificate of Analysis (CoA) for organisms tested (e.g., Escherichia coli, Staphylococcus aureus, Enterococcus spp.), expected colony color/morphology, and recovery rates.
• Trace components: Exact composition and any selective agents or chromogens are proprietary to many formulations; CoA/Spec Sheet will list nominal pH, color/clarity after preparation, and growth-promotion results. Do not assume antibiotic content unless explicitly stated.
• UV/LC specifications: Not applicable for culture media; no HPLC-grade solvent claims are relevant.

Item-specific clarifications

• Composition details, water content, and stabilizers: Not specified for this item; refer to CoA/Spec Sheet.
• This product is labeled For research use only (per Product Data) and is not for diagnostic procedures or clinical use.

Reaction and Applications

Applicability

• As a culture medium, this product is used for microbiological cultivation/enumeration rather than chemical synthesis.

Research and laboratory applications (literature/general)

• Total aerobic bacterial counts: Enumeration of viable bacteria from water, food, environmental surfaces, and manufacturing environments using spread plate, pour plate, or membrane filtration techniques.
• Chromogenic differentiation: Visual color development of colonies via enzyme-specific chromogens (e.g., β-galactosidase/β-glucuronidase activities) to streamline presumptive identification or to distinguish bacterial groups from background flora.
• Method development: Optimization of incubation temperature/time for target matrices; side-by-side comparisons against Plate Count Agar (PCA), Tryptic Soy Agar (TSA), or R2A in low-nutrient water testing.
• Recovery of stressed organisms: Employ resuscitation steps (e.g., pre-enrichment in non-selective broth) before plating if samples have undergone sanitization or thermal stress.

Practical tips

• Homogenize dehydrated medium before weighing; reconstitute with high-purity water; bring to a full boil to dissolve agar. Avoid overheating chromogens; add heat-labile supplements post-autoclave (cooled to ~45–50°C).
• For membrane filtration: Use 0.45 µm sterile membranes; place on solidified medium; incubate inverted to avoid condensation.
• Record colony color, size, and morphology; retain representative colonies for confirmatory biochemical or molecular tests when required by your SOP.

Reaction Conditions

Not applicable to chemical reactions

• The product is not intended for organic synthesis; however, preparation and incubation conditions determine microbiological performance.

General preparation/incubation conditions (literature; not item-specific)

• Reconstitution: Dissolve the specified grams of dehydrated medium per liter of purified water with heating. If agar is included, bring to a complete boil to dissolve.
• Sterilization: Autoclave at 121°C for 15–20 min unless medium is supplied ready-to-use or contains heat-labile chromogens requiring alternative sterilization.
• Pouring plates: Cool molten medium to ~45–50°C before pouring sterile plates (20–25 mL per 90-mm plate). Allow to solidify and dry surface before use.
• Incubation: Typical aerobic total count incubations are 30–37°C for 24–48 h; some environmental organisms recover better at 20–25°C or 28–32°C over 48–72 h (matrix-dependent).
• Enumeration: Select plates with 30–300 colonies for counting to maintain statistical reliability (standard plate count practice). Record colony colors per the chromogenic scheme and confirm as required by SOPs.

Safety and Handling

Item-specific facts (from Product Data)

• GHS Classification, Signal Word, H-Statements, Pictograms: Not specified for this item; refer to SDS.
• Storage: Store at 2–8°C.
• Shipping: Shipped on wet ice.

General safety guidance (literature; defer to SDS/Institutional policies)

• PPE: Lab coat, gloves (nitrile), and safety glasses. Avoid inhalation of powders and contact with skin/eyes. Use dust control when weighing dehydrated media.
• Biohazard considerations: When used to culture environmental or research samples, plates, media, and disposables become biohazardous. Handle in a biosafety cabinet when appropriate; decontaminate by autoclaving before disposal.
• Incompatibilities: Avoid exposure to strong oxidizers and strong acids/bases that may degrade nutrients or chromogens. Protect light-sensitive chromogenic substrates from prolonged light.
• First aid (general): In case of eye/skin contact, rinse with water. If inhaled, move to fresh air. If ingested, rinse mouth. Seek medical attention as needed. Follow SDS.
• Special risks: Some chromogenic substrates or selective agents can be irritants. Powdered media may be hygroscopic; cap promptly and minimize ambient humidity exposure to prevent clumping and composition drift.
• Spill response: Avoid dust generation; clean with damp disposable towels and dispose as laboratory waste; disinfect surfaces.

Solvent Selection

Applicability to this product

• This is a water-based culture medium; organic solvent selection is not typically applicable.

General preparation guidance (literature)

• Solvent: Use purified/deionized water for reconstitution to the specified g/L. Water quality (e.g., ASTM Type 1/2) can influence clarity and background.
• Miscibility: Components are formulated for complete dissolution/dispersion in water at elevated temperature if agar is included. Do not use organic cosolvents unless the method specifically requires them (can inhibit bacterial growth or precipitate components).
• pH adjustment: If required by the method, adjust pH with dilute HCl/NaOH before sterilization; filter-sterilize heat-labile additives.

Comparison to alternatives

• Buffered peptone water or non-chromogenic plate count agar are alternatives when chromogenic differentiation is not required.
• Chromogenic media offer visual confirmation of enzyme activities, reducing secondary confirmation steps, at the expense of higher cost and occasional reduced recovery for some stressed organisms (method-dependent).

Storage and Reconstitution

Item-specific facts (from Product Data)

• Storage Conditions: Store at 2–8°C.
• Shipped In: Wet ice.

Item-specific details not provided

• Reconstitution concentration, final pH, sterilization method, and appearance: Not specified for this item; refer to CoA/Spec Sheet.

General guidance (literature; not item-specific)

• Shelf life: Observe expiration date on label; minimize temperature excursions. Keep container tightly closed to prevent moisture uptake and degradation of chromogens.
• Reconstitution: Weigh the specified grams per liter into purified water. Heat with stirring until fully dissolved (boil if agar-containing). Adjust pH if required by method before sterilization.
• Sterilization: Autoclave at 121°C for 15–20 min unless otherwise indicated. For heat-sensitive chromogenic supplements, sterile-filter the supplement and add aseptically to cooled (45–50°C) sterile base medium.
• Plate storage: Store poured plates inverted in sleeves or sealed bags at 2–8°C, protected from light. Allow plates to warm to room temperature and dry surface condensation before inoculation.
• Freeze–thaw: Do not freeze dehydrated media or prepared plates unless the formulation explicitly allows it; freezing can damage gel structure and chromogens.
• Light sensitivity: Many chromogens are light-sensitive; store in the dark or amber packaging as appropriate.

Structure and Identity

Item-specific facts (from Product Data)

• Product type: Total Bacterial Count Chromogenic Medium (microbiological culture medium; complex mixture)
• SKU: T1528748
• Grade: BioReagent
• CAS, InChIKey, SMILES, Molecular Formula, Molecular Weight: Not specified for this item; refer to CoA/Spec Sheet.

General description (literature)

• Nature of material: Complex, multi-component dehydrated or prepared culture medium formulated to enumerate total bacterial load. Typically includes peptones/tryptones, yeast extract, carbohydrates, buffering salts, agar (for plate media), and chromogenic substrates that yield colored colonies via bacterial enzyme activity (e.g., β-galactosidase, β-glucosidase).
• Structure: Not a single defined molecule. Comprised of heterogeneous biopolymers (peptides), small-molecule nutrients, salts, and chromogens. No discrete 2D molecular structure applies.
• Functional design: Balanced nutrients for broad recovery of aerobes with chromogenic indicators to differentiate or confirm bacterial growth through enzyme-mediated color development.

How to interpret identity for complex media (guidance)

• Identity is established by product name, supplier SKU, performance characteristics (growth/yield/color response with defined QC strains), and lot-specific CoA rather than a single chemical identifier.

Synthetic Utility

Not applicable to this product

• This is a microbiological culture medium and is not used as a synthetic reagent, building block, or catalyst.

Related laboratory utility (general)

• Serves as a functional material for cultivating microorganisms to support downstream analytical workflows (e.g., colony isolation for sequencing, enzyme expression screening, phenotypic assays).

Target Specificity

Item-specific facts

• No antigen/epitope/clone information applies. This section is generally for antibodies or molecular probes.

Product relevance

• The medium is designed for broad cultivation of bacteria for total count. Any apparent specificity arises from chromogenic enzyme reactions used to differentiate bacterial groups. Exact target enzymes and color keys are formulation-specific and not provided for this item; refer to CoA/Spec Sheet.