9/5/2018 Laboratory Skills: Plate Count Examples

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Solution Example 1
LAB SKILLS
Three methods of how to calculate the amount of bacteria are illustrated. They will all
Slide Preparation
yield the same results. You should use the method that makes the most sense to you.
Aseptic Techniques
The dilution table looks as follows:
Enumerating Microorganisms
Volume Dilutent Total
Viable Counts Unknown Transferred Volume Volume
Dilution Arith. Basics
Dilution A 1 ml 999 ml 1000 ml
Dilution B 1 ml 99 ml 100 ml
Dilution Arithmetic Adv. Dilution C 1 ml 9 ml 10 ml
Plate Count Examples 100 of Dilution D is used to inoculate two nutrient agar plates. After incubation the
Plate Count Simulation plates show 30 and 31 colonies of bacteria. The average number of bacteria colonies is
31.
Pipetting
Method 1
Plating
Express the dilution and the inoculation in scientific format. (This value is found by
Turbidimetry dividing the Volume Transferred by the Total Volume.)
LAB EQUIPMENT Dilution A 1x10-3
CONTACT US
Dilution B 1x10-2
Dilution C 1x10-1
REGISTER Inoculation 1x10-1
LOGIN Calculate the amount of bacteria in the original solution by:

31
= 3x108 Number of bacteria in the original solution
(10-3 x 10-2 x 10-1 x 10-1)

The plate count simulation coefficient is always expressed as a whole number. The
answer entered would be 3x108 not 3.1x108.

Method 2
Calculate the ratios of the Total Volume / Volume Transferred and then multiply it by the
colonies counted on the plate.

1,000 (Dilution A) = 1000 / 1

100 (Dilution B) = 100 / 1
10 (Dilution C) = 10 / 1
10 (inoculation of 100 or 0.1ml) = 10
31 (colonies counted on plate)
300,000,000 = 3x108 Number of bacteria in the original solution

The plate count simulation coefficient is always expressed as a whole number. The
answer entered would be 3x108 not 3.1x108.

Method 3 - EASY Math

To use this method three criteria must be met:

1. the number of bacteria colonies on the plate must be between 10 and 90

2. all dilutions must be done as 1 to 9, 1 to 99 or 1 to 999
3. inoculation selected must be 100

The coefficient for this solution will be 3. Use the 10's digit from the plate count.

The exponent for this problem can be determined by counting zeros. Count all the zeros
for Dilution A, B, and C and then add 2. The exponent for this problem is 8 (6 zeros in
the dilutions +2).

The total number of bacteria in the original sample is 3x108.

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9/5/2018 Laboratory Skills: Plate Count Examples

Solution Example 2
The dilution table looks as follows:

Volume Dilutent Total

Unknown Transferred Volume Volume
Dilution A 10 ml 10 ml 20 ml
Dilution B 1 ml 5 ml 6 ml
Dilution C 1 ml 999 ml 1000 ml
Dilution D 1 ml 9 ml 10 ml

100 of Dilution D is used to inoculate two nutrient agar plates. After incubation the
plates show 80 and 84 colonies of bacteria. The average number of bacteria colonies is
82.

Method 1
Express the dilution and the inoculation in scientific format. (This value is found by
dividing the Volume Transferred by the Total Volume.)

Dilution A 5x10-1
Dilution B 1.667x10-1
Dilution C 1x10-3
Inoculation 1x10-1

Calculate the amount of bacteria in the original solution by:

82
= 9.84x106
(5 x 10-1 x 1.667 x 10-1 x 10-3 x 10-1)

The plate count simulation coefficient is always expressed as a whole number so round
the coefficient to the closest whole number. In this example, 9.84 is rounded to 10 and
the resulting answer becomes 10x106. However, 10x106 is not in standard scientific
notation. Convert 10x106 to standard scientific notation by changing the coefficient of 10
to a 1 and increasing the exponent by 1, thus 10 x106 is converted to 1x107. Therefore,
the number of bacteria in the original solution is 1x107.

Method 2
Calculate the ratios of the Total Volume / Volume Transferred and then multiply it by the
colonies counted on the plate.

2 (Dilution A) = 20/10 = 2
6 (Dilution B) 6/1 = 6
1000 (Dilution C) = 1000/1 = 1000
10 (inoculation of 100 or 0.1ml) = 10
82 (results shown on plate) = 82
98,400,000 Rounds to 100,000,000 = 1x107 Number of bacteria in the original
solution

Method 3 - EASY Math

To use this solution three criteria must be met:

1. the number of bacteria colonies on the plate must be between 10 and 90

2. all dilutions must be done as 1 to 9, 1 to 99 or 1 to 999
3. inoculation selected must be 100

There is no easy math for this solution because dilutions A & B were not done as 1 to 9,
1 to 99 or 1 to 999.

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Laboratory Skills: Plate Counts Examples was written by Dr. Alice Wright and Dr. Ethelynda Harding

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