Week six: Salt Density and Bacterial Culture!

 Happy almost spring break week!!!

    This week, the microplastic research group focused on the salt density portion of the filtration process. For each stage, we measured out 600 mL of our wastewater sample (swirling significantly to capture larger microplastics that may have settled at the bottom) and 200 mL of a 5 M NaCl solution. As aforementioned, the salt density process is the first step in filtration, where the microplastics will be filtered using a vacuum and Buchner funnel apparatus to trap the microplastics in the salt solution on a glass filter paper.

    We also began the bacterial isolation of wastewater samples on TSA plates utilizing the spread plate method with glass stirring rods sterilized with an alcohol lamp for the flame. We found all sites to contain bacterial colonies, with the reduction of colonies parallel to the stage numbers; Stage 6 had the fewest amount, with bacterial colonies that I suspect are cross-contaminant within the air.