METHODOLOGY DEVELOPMENT FOR ENVIRONMENTAL MICROBIOLOGY: MEDIUM FORMULATION AND SURFACE CHARGE ANALYSIS

Abstract

Analytical techniques afford scientists the tools to see further and deeper into their subjects of investigation. This thesis attempted to develop new and improved methods in the areas of cultivation of microorganisms from environmental water samples and bacterial surface charge analysis. Firstly, a colourless agar medium was formulated in an attempt to solve the “Great Plate Count Anomaly” problem. Secondly, as there is no consensus on the type of wash buffer for the preparation of bacterial biomass for surface charge analysis, a systematic evaluation of the effectiveness of various wash buffers in removing nonspecifically adsorbed ions and charged molecules from the bacterial cell surface was performed.