To obtain pure microalgae cultures I have inoculated the water sample on BG-11 and BBM media using spread plate method. I am getting yellow colored colonies on both the media plates. Kindly suggest me some points to avoid contamination in plates.
If you have just started your cultures, try using glass tubes or Erlenmeyer flasks to maintain your microalgae, this is to be able to decontaminate the tubes and Erlenmeyer flasks with a 10% nitric acid bath before using them.
What does the microscope tells you? Is these yellow colonies biological contaminants or your microalgae are in serious stress?
If your initial water sample originates from an exposed environment (e.g. river, water bodies, etc), you will definitely get bacterial and fungal contamination within a few days. Microalgae colonies tend to take around 2 weeks to appear on the plates, especially BBM. Some may take even more time. From this point, I usually select the most "safe" colonies and subculture by streaking method. I would also suggest that you inoculate multiple plates with your initial sample so as to use the least contaminated plate for sub-culturing the microalgae.
Best wishes,
Ritesh
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