The Effect of Copper and Sorbic Acid on Ampicillin-Resistant Bacteria
School Name
Heathwood Hall Episcopal School
Grade Level
9th Grade
Presentation Topic
Microbiology
Presentation Type
Non-Mentored
Written Paper Award
4th Place
Abstract
This experiment was conducted to research the effects of transition metals and organic acids on antibacterial resistant Escherichia coli bacteria using copper sulfate, sorbic acid, and ampicillin resistant E.coli by mixing 12g of CuSO₄ and 2.8g sorbic acid into 500mL of nutrient agar, and growing the ampicillin resistant E.coli on petri dishes with the CuSO₄+Sorbic acid and some with plain nutrient agar. The independent variable (IV) in this study was the CuSO₄+Sorbic agar used in some of the plates, and the dependent variable (DV) was the number of colonies that grew on each plate. The hypothesis was if ampicillin resistant E.coli is grown in a petri dish with copper sulfate and sorbic acid added into the agar, then the bacteria will not grow. The results indicate the plates with the CuSO₄+sorbic acid experienced almost one third of bacterial colony growth the plates without CuSO₄+sorbic acid, and had no visible colonies. These results seem to support the hypothesis, but the bacterial colony counter phone app called “Colony Counter” that over counted the number of colonies in the the CuSO₄+sorbic acid plates. The reason why the the bacterial colony counter counted nonexistent bacteria is because the sorbic acid mixed into the agar did not fully dissolve (either because of over saturation or poor mixing), and solidified with white speckles dispersed in the agar that colony counter mistook as colonies.
Recommended Citation
Nwanagu, Johannamarie, "The Effect of Copper and Sorbic Acid on Ampicillin-Resistant Bacteria" (2018). South Carolina Junior Academy of Science. 125.
https://scholarexchange.furman.edu/scjas/2018/all/125
Location
Neville 221
Start Date
4-14-2018 10:00 AM
Presentation Format
Oral and Written
The Effect of Copper and Sorbic Acid on Ampicillin-Resistant Bacteria
Neville 221
This experiment was conducted to research the effects of transition metals and organic acids on antibacterial resistant Escherichia coli bacteria using copper sulfate, sorbic acid, and ampicillin resistant E.coli by mixing 12g of CuSO₄ and 2.8g sorbic acid into 500mL of nutrient agar, and growing the ampicillin resistant E.coli on petri dishes with the CuSO₄+Sorbic acid and some with plain nutrient agar. The independent variable (IV) in this study was the CuSO₄+Sorbic agar used in some of the plates, and the dependent variable (DV) was the number of colonies that grew on each plate. The hypothesis was if ampicillin resistant E.coli is grown in a petri dish with copper sulfate and sorbic acid added into the agar, then the bacteria will not grow. The results indicate the plates with the CuSO₄+sorbic acid experienced almost one third of bacterial colony growth the plates without CuSO₄+sorbic acid, and had no visible colonies. These results seem to support the hypothesis, but the bacterial colony counter phone app called “Colony Counter” that over counted the number of colonies in the the CuSO₄+sorbic acid plates. The reason why the the bacterial colony counter counted nonexistent bacteria is because the sorbic acid mixed into the agar did not fully dissolve (either because of over saturation or poor mixing), and solidified with white speckles dispersed in the agar that colony counter mistook as colonies.
