Pipetting, contamination....

[Tom Anderson]

On Fri, 23 Feb 2007, DK wrote:

> P.S. This topic reminded me of one curious observation:
>
> Everyone I know who does "microbiology" outside of sterile hood is
> engaged in the practice of flaming necks of every bottle and flask they
> use. When asked why they are doing it, the only answer ever given is "to
> keep it sterile".

Again, not me! I do my bug work on the bench, without a bunsen going, and
with none of this messing about. I do use a special bench for it
(actually, my supervisor's bench, which she never uses), and wipe down
with alcohol afterwards, but that's it. I've never had any trouble.

> Problem is, for as far as I can tell, the way it is done, it's a
> completely useless exercise in at least 9 out of 10 times.

The very idea that you can keep anything reliably sterile outside a flow
hood is pretty much a joke. But, since all your cultures have nice big
doses of selective antibiotics in, it doesn't matter. I reckon you could
do tissue culture on the bench and be okay too (although the health &
safety people would have a fit).

tom

-- 
Tom Anderson, MRC Laboratory for Molecular Cell Biology, UCL, London WC1E 6BT
(t) +44 (20) 76797264   (f) +44 (20) 76797805   (e) thomas.anderson from ucl.ac.uk