Deoxycholate Agar (DC) - BioReagent

Cat. No.: D1528450

GRADE & PURITY BioReagent

Storage

Room temperature

Shipped In

Normal

Overview

For coliform plate counting

Specifications

Specifications & Purity

BioReagent

Storage

Room temperature

Shipped In

Normal

Grade

BioReagent

Product Line

Biological Products

Application Protocols

No item-specific validated protocols are provided in the Product Data.

• Guidance: For general preparation and use, see the Storage & Reconstitution and Reaction Conditions sections, which summarize common literature practices for dehydrated agar media. • Method-specific parameters (e.g., grams per liter, pH adjustment, sterilization conditions, incubation time/temperature, performance controls) must follow your laboratory’s SOPs and the product CoA/Spec Sheet. • Research Use Only: As noted in the Product Data, this medium is for research use only and is not intended for clinical diagnostics or therapeutic applications.

Biological Roles

As a formulated culture medium, Deoxycholate Agar (DC) does not have intrinsic biological activity or roles in vivo. Its laboratory role arises from the interactions of its components with microorganisms (literature):

• Selective pressure: Sodium deoxycholate (a bile salt) mimics intestinal bile, disrupting membranes and interfering with cell wall integrity in many Gram-positive bacteria, thereby reducing their growth. • Differential metabolism: Lactose provides a carbon source; organisms possessing β-galactosidase/lactose permease pathways ferment lactose to acids. The local pH drop protonates neutral red, shifting it to a red/pink form around fermenting colonies. • Nutritional support: Peptones/tryptones supply amino nitrogen, vitamins, and growth factors for enteric Gram-negative bacteria. • Solid matrix: Agar forms a non-nutritive gel scaffold enabling colony isolation and morphological assessment. • Microbial ecology context: DC agar selects for bile-tolerant, lactose-fermenting, or non-fermenting enteric Gram-negative rods, a group widely present in environmental waters, foods, and industrial systems. The medium’s composition phenocopies aspects of the intestinal environment (bile exposure), facilitating recovery of organisms adapted to such niches.

No clinical or therapeutic claims are made; this product is intended strictly for research and laboratory use, including environmental/industrial microbiology and method development. Item-specific organism recovery claims or validated strain lists are not provided; consult CoA/Spec Sheet and your method SOPs.

Buffer Applications

Deoxycholate Agar is a solid culture medium and is not used as a chemical buffer system.

• Not typically applicable: It does not provide a defined buffering capacity for biochemical assays or chromatography. • Practical note: Prepared media possess some inherent pH control arising from their components and preparation pH, but they are not standardized buffer solutions. For defined buffer needs, use dedicated buffer systems (e.g., phosphate, Tris) prepared to specified pH and ionic strength. • For relevant guidance on preparation and use of this product, see: Solvent Selection and Storage & Reconstitution sections.

Green Alternatives

While “green chemistry” frameworks target chemical reactions and solvents, analogous principles apply to microbiological media use and waste minimization.

• Environmental considerations (literature/general):

• Dehydrated media minimize transport mass/volume; reconstitute on-site with water, reducing packaging and shipping footprint.
• Avoid over-preparation: pour only the number of plates needed to reduce biohazard waste.
• Use reusable glassware (Durham tubes, Erlenmeyers) where appropriate; balance with biosafety and QA needs.
• Autoclave and segregate biohazard waste efficiently to reduce incineration load.

• Alternatives and trade-offs (literature):

• MacConkey Agar: Similar selectivity with crystal violet; often less inhibitory for some Gram-negatives—useful when recovering stressed cells. May yield higher recovery but lower selectivity.
• Hektoen Enteric (HE) or XLD Agar: Stronger selectivity and additional differential markers (e.g., H2S); potentially more dye load and complex waste streams.
• Chromogenic enteric media: Faster differentiation; dyes/pigments can increase cost and waste complexity.

• Greener lab practices:

• Prepare media with energy-efficient autoclave cycles validated for your loads.
• Use plate sealers/parafilm to extend plate life and reduce discards.
• Document shelf-life empirically to minimize expired materials.

No item-specific eco-tox or regulatory attributes are provided; refer to SDS and institutional sustainability guidance.

Pharmaceutical Uses

Not applicable as a pharmaceutical excipient or therapeutic agent.

• Typical role (literature): In pharmaceutical quality control and environmental monitoring labs, selective/differential agar media like Deoxycholate Agar may be used for microbiological testing, method development, or investigational work. Such usage is within research/QC laboratory contexts, not as components of drug formulations. • Compendial status: No pharmacopeial monograph is cited in the Product Data. When regulatory or compendial conformity is required, verify suitability against the relevant method (e.g., harmonized microbiological testing chapters) and review the product’s CoA. • Regulatory caveat: Product is labeled For research use only (per Product Data). It is not intended for diagnostic, therapeutic, or clinical use. Users are responsible for qualification within their quality systems if employing the medium in GMP-adjacent contexts.

Physical Properties

Item-specific specifications are not provided in the Product Data for this formulated medium. For authoritative values, refer to the product CoA/Spec Sheet and SDS.

• Appearance (dehydrated powder): Not specified for this item; refer to CoA/Spec Sheet. (Literature: typically tan to reddish-beige, free-flowing.) • pH of prepared medium (at 25 °C): Not specified for this item; refer to CoA/Spec Sheet. (Literature: DC-type media are commonly adjusted near neutral to slightly alkaline to optimize selectivity.) • Solubility: Designed to reconstitute in purified/distilled water to form a clear-to-slightly opalescent solution before gelling upon cooling (literature, general for agar-based media). • Gelation: Solidifies via agar upon cooling below ~45 °C (literature, general for agar). • Density, refractive index, logP, pKa, boiling/melting points: Not applicable to this formulated solid medium; not specified for this item; refer to CoA/Spec Sheet. • Typical preparation concentration: Not specified for this item; refer to CoA/Spec Sheet. (Literature: dehydrated DC media are often used at a fixed grams-per-liter range defined by the manufacturer.) • Color change behavior (prepared plates): Lactose fermenters acidify medium and shift neutral red to pink/magenta halos around colonies; non-fermenters remain colorless/pale (literature, general performance characteristic).

Quality & Grades

• Item grade: BioReagent (per Product Data). BioReagent generally signifies suitability for common laboratory biological procedures, with controlled bioburden and composition appropriate for research use. Exact acceptance criteria for this item (e.g., pH range, appearance, performance testing) are not specified; refer to CoA/Spec Sheet.

• Microbiological performance: For culture media, vendors commonly perform growth promotion testing (GPT) using representative strains (e.g., lactose-fermenting and non-fermenting enterics) and selectivity checks against Gram-positive organisms (literature). Item-specific challenge strains and performance metrics are not specified for this product.

• UV/absorbance and chromatographic suitability: Not typically relevant for solid culture media.

• Stabilizers/preservatives: Not specified for this item; refer to CoA/Spec Sheet. Dehydrated media generally contain no antimicrobial preservatives by design to permit microbial growth after reconstitution (literature).

• What this means for users:

• Expect lot-to-lot consistency appropriate for research microbiology workflows.
• Verify lot pH and performance with in-house controls when results are critical.
• For regulated work (e.g., food/water testing under standards), confirm compliance against your method’s acceptance criteria using the CoA and your quality system.

Reaction & Applications

This is a microbiological culture medium rather than a chemical reagent for synthesis. Its “applications” are in selective/differential cultivation of microorganisms.

• Primary application (literature): Isolation and differentiation of Gram-negative enteric bacteria from mixed samples (environmental, food, industrial hygiene). Sodium deoxycholate suppresses many Gram-positive organisms; lactose plus neutral red differentiates lactose fermenters (pink/red colonies, acid halos) from non-fermenters (pale/colorless). • Typical use-cases:

• Enumeration and isolation of coliform-like lactose fermenters vs non-fermenting enterics from water/food process samples.
• Preliminary differentiation in workflow panels alongside media such as MacConkey, EMB, or XLD to increase confidence in presumptive identifications. • Practical tips (literature):
• Dry plates at 30–37 °C or in a laminar hood before inoculation to remove surface moisture that can cause swarming or spreading.
• Streak for isolation; incubate inverted to prevent condensation drip.
• Incubation temperatures commonly 30–37 °C depending on target flora and method; times typically 18–24 h, extended as needed for slow growers. Follow your validated method. • Interpretation notes:
• Strong lactose fermenters: pink to red colonies, sometimes with precipitated bile halos.
• Non-fermenters: translucent to colorless colonies against pale background.
• Overgrowth by tolerant Gram-positives is uncommon but possible; include appropriate controls.

Reaction Conditions

Not applicable to chemical reactions. For laboratory use, relevant “conditions” pertain to microbiological incubation and plate preparation (literature, general guidance):

• Preparation (overview; follow the product’s Spec Sheet for exact instructions):

• Dissolve the specified grams of dehydrated medium per liter of purified water with stirring; heat as needed to fully dissolve.
• Sterilize according to manufacturer guidance. Many agar media are autoclaved at 121 °C for 15 minutes; some formulations recommend minimal heating to preserve bile salts/indicator performance. Follow the CoA/Spec Sheet.
• Cool to 45–50 °C, mix gently to avoid bubbles, and pour sterile plates. • Incubation (general): Streak inoculated plates and incubate inverted. Typical incubation temperatures are 30–37 °C for 18–24 h depending on target organisms and method. Extended incubation may be used for weakly growing strains. • Performance checks: Include positive controls (known lactose fermenter) and negative controls (non-fermenter, and a Gram-positive test strain) to verify selectivity/differential function. Record colony morphology and indicator response.

Note: Exact preparation mass, pH targets, and sterilization parameters are not specified for this item; refer to CoA/Spec Sheet and institutional SOPs.

Safety & Handling

Always consult the product SDS for authoritative safety, handling, and disposal guidance. Item-specific GHS data were not provided in the Product Data.

• GHS classification, signal word, pictograms, H-statements: Not specified for this item; refer to SDS. • General hazards (literature/generic for dehydrated culture media):

• Low acute toxicity anticipated; dust may cause mechanical irritation to eyes, skin, and respiratory tract. Use local exhaust when handling powders.
• Not flammable as prepared plates; dehydrated powder may support combustion if heavily contaminated with organics—avoid creating dust clouds. • Microbiological safety: Once reconstituted and used for culture, plates may contain viable microorganisms, including potential biosafety level 2 organisms from environmental/food samples. Handle cultured plates under appropriate biosafety practices; treat used media as biohazardous waste and autoclave before disposal. • Incompatibilities (general): Strong oxidizers may degrade organic components and dyes. Avoid contact with strong acids/bases that can alter indicator color and medium performance. • Recommended PPE: Lab coat, safety glasses, disposable gloves; use a dust mask/respirator if airborne particulates may form (per risk assessment and SDS). • First aid (overview): Rinse eyes/skin with water for several minutes after contact; move to fresh air if inhaled dust causes irritation; if ingested, rinse mouth. Seek medical attention if symptoms persist. • Fire response: Use water spray, CO2, or dry chemical as appropriate for surrounding materials; medium components are not expected to present unusual combustion products beyond organic decomposition (literature).

Solvent Selection

This product is a dehydrated culture medium, not a reaction solvent.

• Reconstitution medium: Purified or distilled water is the appropriate solvent for preparation of Deoxycholate Agar (literature). Water quality affects clarity and performance; use ASTM Type 1 or 2 water for best results. • Miscibility/polarity: Not applicable. After dissolution and sterilization, agar-based media form gels upon cooling, immobilizing water within the matrix. • Practical guidance (literature):

• Slowly add the powder to cold or room-temperature water with vigorous stirring to minimize clumping; heat to aid dissolution.
• Avoid overheating/overboiling that can darken indicators or caramelize carbohydrates.
• Degassing before pouring plates reduces bubbles in the gel. • Alternative media choices (selection perspective): When selectivity/differentiation requirements differ, consider MacConkey Agar (bile salts + crystal violet), Hektoen Enteric Agar (for stronger inhibition and H2S differentiation), or Deoxycholate Citrate Agar (higher selectivity for Salmonella/Shigella). Choice depends on the sample matrix and target organisms (literature).

Storage & Reconstitution

• Storage (per Product Data): Store at room temperature. Protect the dehydrated powder from moisture, heat, and light. Keep container tightly closed. Shipped at ambient conditions. • Shelf-life: Not specified for this item; refer to CoA/Spec Sheet. Dehydrated media are generally stable for extended periods when dry and sealed (literature). • Reconstitution (literature, general guidance—follow the product’s Spec Sheet for exact instructions):

• Accurately weigh the manufacturer-specified grams of powder per liter of purified/distilled water.
• Suspend with vigorous stirring; heat to aid dissolution without excessive boiling to preserve indicator integrity.
• Sterilize as directed by the manufacturer (many agar media are autoclaved at 121 °C for 15 min; some DC formulations recommend controlled heating). Do not over-autoclave.
• Cool to 45–50 °C, mix to uniformity, and pour plates in a sterile environment. Allow to solidify; dry plates as needed before use. • Storage of prepared plates (literature): Store inverted at 2–8 °C in sealed bags or wrapped to prevent desiccation and dye oxidation; minimize light exposure. Typical in-lab shelf-life is limited (days to a few weeks) pending QC checks for pH, dehydration, and contamination. • Freeze–thaw: Do not freeze prepared agar plates. Avoid repeated temperature cycling. Label plates with prep date and lot for traceability.

Structure & Identity

• Product type: Dehydrated microbiological culture medium (selective/differential) formulated with sodium deoxycholate, peptones/tryptones, lactose, neutral red, agar, and related salts (typical literature composition). It is a formulated mixture, not a single chemical entity. • Molecular formula: Not applicable to mixtures; not specified for this item; refer to CoA/Spec Sheet. • Molecular weight: Not applicable to mixtures; not specified for this item; refer to CoA/Spec Sheet. • CAS, CID, InChIKey, SMILES: Not applicable for formulated media; not specified for this item; refer to CoA/Spec Sheet. • Structural features (descriptive, literature):

• Contains the bile salt anionic surfactant sodium deoxycholate (selective agent) which disrupts Gram-positive cell membranes and inhibits many non-enteric Gram-positives.
• Lactose serves as a fermentable carbohydrate; neutral red is a pH indicator that differentiates lactose fermenters (pink/red colonies) from non-fermenters (pale/transparent).
• Agar is the solidifying agent enabling plate culture. • 2D “structure” description: As a composite dry blend of multiple components, there is no single 2D chemical structure. Function arises from combined selective (bile salt) and differential (lactose/indicator) elements embedded in an agar matrix.

Synthetic Utility

Not applicable. Deoxycholate Agar (DC) is a formulated microbiological medium and is not used as a reagent or building block in chemical synthesis.

• For chemical transformations, consider the individual pure components (e.g., sodium deoxycholate as a bile salt surfactant) when relevant to colloid formation or phase-transfer phenomena. However, the composite medium contains dyes, carbohydrates, proteins/peptones, and agar that are incompatible with most chemical reaction environments. • Users seeking surfactant or bile salt behavior in synthesis should procure analytical-grade individual reagents with defined specifications rather than culture media blends.

Target Specificity

This section is typically applicable to biological affinity reagents (e.g., antibodies, ligands). It does not apply to a formulated culture medium.

• Not applicable: No antigen/epitope, clone, isotype, or species reactivity is relevant. • Practical pointer: For organism recovery characteristics (selectivity/differentiation), see Reaction & Applications and Biological Roles sections. Item-specific validated organism panels are not provided; refer to CoA/Spec Sheet and your method validation data.