Lesson Learned

I started to pour the agar using a Multipipette Plus with a 50 mL syringe for a total volume of 17 mL added to each empty contact plate. I did some research on the plates and found there name to be known as RODAC (Replicate Organism Detection and Counting) plates. The supplying company recommended filling the plates on their website between 16.5-17.5 mL for proper convex surface to be achieved. The figure below shows some of my flaws conducted Monday in the flow hood. 

 

Figure 1. The spill was so quick and sensitive to touch that the cohesion of any surface quickly pulled it over the lip or ring around the top.

Figure 2. The plates were left in the hood for 10 minutes with the ultraviolet light on for proper sterilization.

 

The contact of the lid and liquid caused multiple spillage and contamination. The first thing I need to work on is conserving the empty plates by making no mistakes for contamination. Thus, there will be no waste of agar and RODAC plate inventory. Furthermore, I need to be more quick, efficient, and organized. I, also, noticed on Monday that the plates need to cool without the lids. Dispensing the warm TSA liquid from the pipette needs to be quick in regards to time because of the solidification of the Multipipette syringe.

Figure 3. This shows the muffin top like shape of the solidified tops of these contact plates.