General Microbiology (Practical) Notes
Subject Overview
The practical companion to General Microbiology, taking students through glassware cleaning and sterilization, microscope handling, sterilization methods (autoclave, hot air oven, filtration), disinfectant dilution, bacterial morphology, culture media preparation, aerobic and anaerobic culture technique, biomedical waste segregation and plotting a bacterial growth curve. A 2-credit core practical paper.
Subject at a glance
1
Units
10
Topics
2
Credits
1
Infographics
Unit-wise Syllabus
1 units — click WhatsApp below to get the full notes for each
Unit 1: Sterilization, microscopy and culture technique
- Cleaning agents and glassware sterilization technique
- handling the compound microscope
- sterilization by autoclave and hot air oven
- sterilization of media/solutions by filtration
- preparation of disinfectant working dilutions
- morphological types of bacteria
- preparation of culture media
- aerobic and anaerobic culture demonstration
- biomedical waste segregation
- plotting the bacterial growth curve
Yellow
Yellow bag
Anatomical waste, soiled dressings, discarded cultures
Red
Red bag
Contaminated plastics: tubing, gloves, syringes without needles
White
Puncture-proof container
Needles, blades, sharps
Blue
Cardboard box
Broken or discarded glassware
Study guide
In this practical you clean and sterilise glassware, handle the compound microscope, sterilise with an autoclave and hot air oven, filter-sterilise solutions, prepare disinfectant dilutions, observe bacterial shapes, prepare culture media, demonstrate aerobic and anaerobic culture, segregate biomedical waste and plot a bacterial growth curve. Aseptic technique, working cleanly so nothing contaminates your culture, is the key skill.
Why General Microbiology (Practical) Matters
Aseptic technique and culture preparation are used daily in clinical microbiology laboratories.
How to Prepare for General Microbiology (Practical)
- Practise aseptic technique carefully every time.
- Label every plate and tube with date and details.
- Learn the colour-coding for biomedical waste.
General Microbiology (Practical): Frequently Asked Questions
What is aseptic technique?
Aseptic technique is a set of practices that prevent contamination of cultures and samples by unwanted microorganisms.