Read the assigned readings and answer questions regarding gram stain and lab safety - Essay Example

Grams stain and lab safety Laboratory practices and safety precautions Through the washing of hands after doing the work in the lab will reduce the effects of affecting ones health. The hands may be contaminated with harmful substances which may be hazardous to health. Cleaning of the benching at the starting, during and after the exercise will reduce the danger of the end result to be contaminated and also will reduce the risk of one getting affected by the spilled substances on the bench.

Clean up of broken glasses will reduce the danger of one being cut or injured by them. Containing small fires should always be reduced by quickly been extinguished by smothering. Clothes on fire should be dropped or the person should roll to smother the flames. At the eye wash station your partner should your eyes wide open on a running water.I will incorporate the above safety precautions in my laboratory by ensuring that their posters with guidelines and instruction at every working area in the laboratory.

I may also take some time to address my lab mates on safety precautions.Ways of handling blood cultures and pathogenic strains in a laboratoryA technician may use  physical state , chemical composition, and purpose, functional type as made to differentiate different bacteria. Physical state media involve the use of non reactive physical substances such as water to nature the bacterias. Chemical reagents may also be used as in the case of chemical media. Microbiologists have many types of media at their disposal.

The purpose / functional type may be employed as in a complex bacteria case.Common safety dos in a microbiology labOne should always have a protective gear, should wear proper clothes, one should care about his hygiene by not bringing food into the room, one should always consider all the materials he or is handling to be harmful.Common safety do`nts in the microbiology labDo not use mouth for pipetting substances, do not put flammable substances near heat, do not operate lab equipment without permission and do not eat in the lab.

Safety dos in a laboratory.One should know where all the emergency and safety equipment’s are kept in the laboratory so that in case of any accident they may save themselves.They should also know fire exits and fire drill procedures so that in case of fire the escape, be familiar with all lab process before carrying out any exercise this because some processes are too dangerous, lastly they should keep the working area clutter free and clean to enable easy access to all equipments hey need and also to avoid more injuries in case of an accident.

Safety don`ts in a laboratoryOne is not supposed to smell, touch or taste chemicals they may have negative effects on the persons health, youre not supposed to do experiments on your own because a mixture of chemicals may be explosive, never eat in the lab because the food may get contaminated with the chemicals and never add water into an acid this is because it will react explosively.What is gram staining?The gram stain procedure distinguishes between gram positive and gram negative groups by coloring the cells red or violent.

Gram positive bacteria will stain violent due to the presence of a thick layers of peptidoglycan in their cell walls, which retains the crystal violet. On the other side, gram negative bacteria will stain red. This aspect is brought about by their thinner peptidoglycan walls which does not retain the crystal violent during the coloring process.What is the significance of the gram staining?This assists scientists to choose the appropriate treatment for such. It is through the identification of the various types of bacteria that scientists make use of the obtained results to come up with treatment and control measures.

Gram staining procedure(a) A mixture of unidentified gram cells is first heat fixed an then stained with basic dyes, crystal violet.(b) The slides are then treated with iodine and potassium iodine (mordant) mixture to fix the stains.(c) The stained gram bacteria are then washed in 95% alcohol solution, a scientific process known as distaining.(d) They are finally counterstained with a paler dye of different color (safranin).ReferencesGilda, L. & Stanley M.(1984). The Gram Stain: A New Look at an Old tool.

Subhash , K. M. (2009). Gram stain: looking beyond bacteria to find fungi in gram stained smear. Authorhouse. Marler, L. M. & Jean, A.S. (2001). Direct Smear Atlas : A Monograph of Gram-Stained preparations of clinical specimen. Lippincott Williams & Wilkins.