Can we use tap water for bacterial culture? Tap water contains impurities such as calcium and magnesium and their ion traces. So if I use tap water, will it contaminate the bacterial culture or not? Is there any alternative water? Please kindly give an appropriate answer. Thank you.
Hello Mohammad Eshaq Faiq
Water quality for bacterial culture is critical. It should be
1. Free of nutrients
2. Free of toxic substances
3. Resistivity > 0.3 MΩ.cm
4. Low concentration of chlorine
5. Low concentration of heavy metals
6. Low microbial count
Tap water should never be used because of the relatively high amounts of heavy metals and/or chlorine which may cause precipitation problems and may inhibit the growth of microorganisms. So, distilled, double distilled or deionized water is recommended for bacterial culture.
Best.
Tapwater -? for which bacteria?
Its better to use glass-distilled water and adjust the mineral requirements as per the intended bacteria growth needs.
Media - brochure will also tell you what solvent to be used
I can not add more. I agree and recommend Mr. Malcolm Nobre answer answer.
Tap water is not appropriate for bacterial culture. You should use deionized or double-distilled water.
Tap water also has pharmaceutical residues and metabolites. I don't know what is the status in your country but in Kuwait, we do have very reliable data that we have often at trace levels.
@Azad Ismail Saheb
Thank you for the answer.
For Escherichia coli and Pseudomonas aeruginosa
No, because tap water doesn’t not have any supportive nutrients which support the the growth of bacteria. As well tap water has many other impurities which inhibit the growth of bacteria.
Tape water can contaminate bacterial culture. I have experience of culture milk samples with tape water where thousands of bacteria grow on media which ultimately acts as a barrier to counting and differentiating bacterial colonies. So I would prefer to use distilled water.
Tap water should not be used as it contains impurities such as (calcium and magnesium and their metal ion traces). In addition chlorine and fluorine will alter the characteristics of selective media.
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