What Could Be Used to Sterilize Plastic Petri Plates in a Plastic Wrapper?

Sterile equipment is vital for a successful microbiology experiment.
••• Ryan McVay/Photodisc/Getty Images

When scientists conduct microbiology experiments, they need to make sure that no unexpected microorganisms are growing in their petri dishes and test tubes. The process of killing or removing all microbes capable of reproduction is called sterilization, and it can be accomplished by both physical and chemical methods. For pre-wrapped petri dishes, however, the most effective technique is exposure to ionizing gamma radiation or electron beams.

Shooting for Sterilization

After the petri dishes are placed in their final plastic wrapping, they are blasted with a high-energy beam of either gamma radiation, which is generated from a radioactive element such as cobalt-60, or electrons, which are produced by an electron accelerator. When these beams hit the microorganisms, they damage their DNA sequences, causing mutations that render the microbes unable to reproduce.

Related Articles

What Are the Advantages of the Transmission Electron...
What Types of Bacteria Produce Endospores?
Organelles Involved in Photosynthesis
Electron Microscope Advantages
What Is the Process of Water Treatment?
How Did Scientists Discover That Genes Are Made of...
How to Make Nutrient Agar for Petri Dishes
Types of Microscopes Used in Biology
What Are the Parts of Microbiology?
What Is a Glass Slide in Biology?
Types of Bacteria on the Tongue
How to Compare TEM & SEM
What Are the Different Types of Microscopy Used in...
The Types of Cells Which Lack a Membrane Bound Nucleus
Bacterial Cell Cytoplasm
Crowded Plate Techniques in Microbiology
Nutritional Types of Bacteria
What Contribution Did Avery Make to the Discovery of...
Different Kinds of Microscopes & Their Uses
What Does Acetone Alcohol Do to a Gram Stain?

Dont Go!

We Have More Great Sciencing Articles!