NAME: MECHELLE SIBANDA

STUDENT NUMBER: N02219016F

COURSE: MICROBIOLOGY

CLASS: SBB

LECTURER: MISS T MGUNI

ABSTRACT

INTRODUCTION

A microorganism is an organism that is too small to be seen clearly with the naked eye and

lacks highly differentiated cells and distinct tissues. ( Willey, et al., 2009). Microbiology is

the study of organisms that are usually too small to be seen with the naked eye; special

techniques are required to isolate and grow them. Microbes are a very important part of life

on earth. They contain an estimated 50% of the biological carbon and 90% of the biological

nitrogen on Earth—they greatly exceed every other group of organisms on the planet.

Furthermore, they are found everywhere: from geothermal vents in the ocean depths to the

coldest Arctic ice. They are major contributors to the functioning of the biosphere, being

indispensable for the cycling of the elements essential for life. Although most

microorganisms play beneficial or benign roles, some harm humans and have disrupted

society over the millennia. Microbial diseases undoubtedly played a major role in historical

events such as the decline of the Roman Empire and the conquest of the New World. In 1347,

a plague called the black death, an arthropod borne disease, struck Europe with brutal force,

killing one-third of the population (about 25 million people) within four years. Over the next

80 years, the disease struck repeatedly, eventually wiping out 75% of the European

population. Microorganisms are a very important part of our lives and are everywhere.

Though some are pathogenic most are not harmful and can be found in the air, soil and

surfaces around us.

Microbiology research depends largely on the ability to grow and maintain microorganisms

in the laboratory, and this is possible only if suitable culture media are available. A culture

medium is a solid or liquid preparation used to grow, transport, and store microorganisms. To

be effective, the medium must contain all the nutrients the microorganism requires for
growth. Although all microorganisms need sources of energy, carbon, nitrogen, phosphorus,

sulphur, and various minerals, the precise composition of a satisfactory medium depends on

the species one is trying to cultivate because nutritional requirements vary so greatly.

Knowledge of a microorganism’s normal habitat often is useful in selecting an appropriate

culture medium because its nutrient requirements reflect its natural surroundings.

The media is a source of nutrients to support the growth of the micro-organisms in-vitro. The

media helps in the growth and counting of microbial cells, selection of microorganisms, and

survival of microorganisms. The culture medium can be liquid or gel. Culture media are of

different types depending on the nutrients they have and the type of microorganisms that

grow on them. Growth media are primarily of two types; one for cell culture where specific

cell types are grown of specific plants and animals, and another for microbiological culture to

support the growth of microorganisms on artificial surfaces.

A defined medium has a known quantity of all ingredients, like carbon source (Glucose or

Glycerol) and nitrogen source (Ammonium salt or Nitrate as inorganic nitrogen). The

medium needs in metabolic, nutritional, and physiological growth experiments. An

Undefined medium is the medium that has different complex ingredients in unknown

quantities, for example- yeast extract, beef, various salts, and enzymatic protein such as

Potato dextrose agar and MacConkey agar.

Potato Dextrose Agar (PDA) contains dextrose as a carbohydrate source which serves as a

growth stimulant and potato infusion that provides a nutrient base for luxuriant growth of

most fungi. Agar is added as the solidifying agent ( Fatima, 2022). The most common fungi

are yeasts and moulds.

METHODOLOGY
We were grouped into groups of seven. In my group two of the members were chosen to

touch the surfaces. The first culture medium used was a liquid medium. The liquid medium

was colony count agar (CCA). One of the chosen members disinfected their hands with 70%

alcohol and touched the floor surface then touched the sterile petri dish. Then the CCA is

slightly heated on the Benson burner and then poured onto the petri dish and swirl the dish to

mix the sample properly. Close the lid of the Petri plate. Allow the media to completely

solidify. For the solid medium the other chosen member also disinfected their hands and

touched the table surface then touched the solid PDA in the petri dish and closed the petri

dish. Both petri dishes are labelled. The dish is incubated in an inverted position under

suitable incubation conditions for 24 hours at 37°C.

RESULTS

SAMPLE MEDIUM RESULTS

Floor surface CCA

Table surface PDA

DISCUSSION

On the plate we observe a macroscopically visible growth or cluster of microorganisms in or

on a solid medium which we call colonies ( Willey, et al., 2009). The sample taken from the

table surface shows two different colony morphology. We can try to use colony morphology

to identify the microorganism (Placeholder1). In the floor surface sample, there is a single

colony being observed and since a colony arises from a single cell, we assume that the

observed colony is a pure colony ( Willey, et al., 2009). According to ( Fatima, 2022) Potato

Dextrose Agar (PDA) is used to culture mostly fungi there for we assume that the organisms

cultured in PDA are fungi. The two colonies appear very different from each other using

information on fungi colony morphology we can narrow down the genus of each colony we

can see (Placeholder1). One of the colonies is round with a smooth edge using these

characteristics we can identify the genus of the mold to be aspergillus

CONCLUSION

This experiment proved the ubiquity of microorganism. Showing how they are present in the

on surfaces such as the floor and table. As humans we live in constant interaction with

microorganisms