Last of the Samples Processed

An example of a run sample without bacterial growth

Incubate at 112 degrees

Samples inside Petri Dishes

Filtration Apparatus 

Some of the bottles used for the study

This week I met JJ in the lab in the mornings to help her run the last of the water samples. She needs each water sample run through the filtration apparatus, the pH, the total chlorine, and the free chlorine. 

Once the water had been run through the filtration system and all of the tests are completed we placed the petri dishes in an incubator for 18 hours at 112 degrees to encourage the growth of thermo-tolerant coliforms.

Tuesday: I cleaned some petri dishes and checked the pH, free/total chlorine

Wednesday: Continued checking pH, free/total chlorine 

Thursday: Continued checking pH, free/total chlorine and that afternoon I placed the petri dishes into the incubator for 18 hours.

This morning- I went to the lab and removed the petri dishes from the incubator and went through each sample to check for pink or yellow spots of bacteria growth. The presence of pink bacterial growth shows a great presence of iron in the water. The presence of yellow bacterial growth shows a presence of thermo-tolerant coliforms. 

I am also supplementing this work in the lab by reading a presentation that JJ sent me outlining the details of the biology/infrastructure of Hale County and I am slowly but surely working through the large packet outlining what is needed for the proposal.

I will continue reading through this packet this weekend and write again soon. 

Justinn