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Instruments used in Microbiology

Lab with Principle and Uses

The instruments used in the microbiology labs include a bunch of different kinds
of instruments required for a lot of different processes conducted within those
laboratories.

Figure: Instruments used in Microbiology Lab with Principle and Uses. Image
created with
1. Analytical Balance
• An analytical balance is a type of balance that is commonly used for the
measurement of mass in the sub-milligram range.
Working Principle

• These types of balances are made with a measuring pan enclosed in a

transparent covering that prevents smalls particles or air currents from
getting collected on the pan.
• An electric analytical balance uses the force necessary to counteract the
mass rather than measuring the mass itself.
 • An electromagnet is used to create a force required to achieve a balance
with the mass of the substance, and the resulting force is displayed.
Uses

• As they are highly precise and based on advanced technology, analytical

balances are explicitly used in laboratories for the effective completion of
tasks like weighing test materials and sampling amounts, formulation,
density determination, purity analysis, quality control testing, and material
and conformance testing.
2. Autoclave
• An autoclave is a pressurized chamber used for the process of
sterilization and disinfection by combining three factors: time, pressure
and steam
Working Principle

• Autoclaves use steam as their sterilization agent. The basic principle of

an autoclave is that all the items within the autoclave come in direct
contact with the steam for a particular period irrespective of the nature of
the material- whether it is liquid, plastic ware, or glassware.
• The amount of time and the temperature depends on the type of material
being sterilized and the increase in temperature of the cycle allows for
shorter periods.
Uses

• Autoclaves are mostly used for the sterilization of medical or laboratory

equipment with the capacity of sterilizing a large number of materials at
once.
• They are commonly used for the preparation of culture media during
laboratory applications.
3. Bunsen burner
• Bunsen burner is a standard tool used in laboratories, named after Robert
Bunsen.
• It is a gas-fueled single open flame.
Working Principle

• This burner is made with a metal tube on a flat base with a gas inlet at
the bottom of the tube, which may have an adjustable valve. On the sides
of the tube are openings which can be adjusted with a collar to control
the amount of air that can enter.
• Once the burner is connected to a gas source, the gas is forced by the
gas pressure so that the gas reaches the top where the flame is ignited
with a match or a lighter.
Uses

• It is commonly used for processes like sterilization, combustion, and

heating. In medical or microbiology laboratories, it is commonly used for
micro-loop sterilization.
4. Centrifuge
• A centrifuge is a device that allows the rotation of an object about a single
axis, where an outward force is applied perpendicularly to the axis.
• A laboratory centrifuge is motor-based and allows the rotation of a liquid
sample resulting in the separation of the components of the mixture.
Working Principle

• A centrifuge works on the principle of sedimentation, where the high

speed of the rotation causes the denser particles to move away from the
center while smaller, less dense particles are forced towards the center.
• Thus, the denser particles settle at the bottom while the lighter particles
are collected at the top.
• In a laboratory tabletop centrifuge, the sample tubes are aligned at an
angle so that the particles have to travel a shorter distance before they
hit the bottom.
Uses

• The primary application of a centrifuge is the separation of particles

suspended in a suspension. It can be used for the separation of cell
organelles, nucleic acid, blood components, and separation of isotopes.
5. Colony Counter
• A colony counter is used to estimate the density of a liquid culture by
counting the number of CFU (colony forming units) on an agar or culture
plates.
Working Principle

• This instrument can accommodate different sizes of plates which are

scanned on top with UV, white light and/or fluorescent illumination.
• One can accomplish the counting either manually with the touch pressure
or with a digital counter.
Uses

• A colony counter is primarily used for counting the number of colonies

present on a culture plate to estimate the concentration of
microorganisms in liquid culture.
6. Deep Freezer
Working Principle

• Deep freezers are based on the principle that under extremely low
temperatures, there is minimum microbial growth which allows for the
protection and preservation of different substances.
• Based on this principle, we can even preserve cultures over a long period
of time without any change in the concentration of the microorganisms.
Uses

• A deep freeze can be used for the preservation of different things used in
the laboratories for a very long period of time. Deep freezers are used in
laboratories to store and preserve medical equipment, food items, blood
samples, medicines, and injections, etc. for a more extended period of
time.
7. Homogenizer
• Homogenizer is a device used in laboratories for the mixing of various
liquids and materials like tissue, plant, food, soil, and many others.
Working Principle

• This instrument is based on the principle that when large globules in

coarse emulsion are passed under high pressure through a narrow
orifice, they break down into smaller particles giving a more uniform and
stable mixture.
• A homogenizer has a metal rod with narrow parallel openings in the form
of a comb at the end which acts as the orifice for the homogenization
process.
Uses

• A homogenizer is primarily used to disrupt cells to acquire cell organelles

for different microbiological processes.
• It is used in the preparation step before the extraction and purification of
different macromolecules like proteins, nucleic acids, and lipids.
8. Hot plate
• A hot plate is a stand-alone appliance used in microbiology laboratories
as a tabletop heating system.
Working Principle

• Unlike the traditional ways of producing heat through the fire, a hot plate
produces heat by the flow of electricity.
 • On a hot plate, electricity runs through the coils which have a high level
of electrical resistance. The resistance in the coils converts the electrical
energy into heat energy which causes the coils to release heat.
Uses

• In a laboratory, hot plates are used to heat glassware and their

components.
• They are used over water baths as in water baths might be hazardous in
case of any spills or overheat.
9. Hot air oven
• A hot air oven is an electrical device that is used for sterilization of medical
equipment or samples using dry heat.
Working Principle

• Hot air oven is a type of dry heat sterilization which is performed on dry
materials and on substances that do not melt or catch fire under high
temperature.
• There are two types of hot air oven based on the working principle
• Forced air hot air oven: In this type of hot air oven, the heated air
inside the oven is distributed throughout the oven with a fan. This
prevents the rising of hot air towards the top while keeping the cold air
at the bottom. This allows for the adequate heating of materials inside
the oven.
• Static air hot air oven: In this type of oven, the heat is produced by
coils present at the bottom of the oven with no fan. The hot air rises
and doesn’t allow the effective sterilization of the materials.
• The equipment inside the oven acquire heat and pass the heat towards
the center, one layer at a time which allows for effective dry heat
sterilization.
Uses

• Hot air oven can be used to sterilize materials like glassware, metal
equipment, powders, etc.
• It allows for the destruction of microorganisms as well as bacterial spores.
10. Incubator
• An incubator is a device that is used in the laboratories for the growth and
maintenance of microorganisms and cultures.
• Incubator provides an optimal temperature, pressure, moisture, among
other things required for the growth of microorganisms.
Working Principle

• The incubator is based on the principle of maintaining a proper

atmosphere for the growth of microorganisms.
 • Incubators have a heating system that allows for the temperature within
the incubator to be adjusted according to the type of organism cultivated
inside.
• Similarly, they are provided with adjustments for maintaining the
concentration of CO2 to balance the pH and humidity required for the
growth of the organisms.
• Variation of the incubator like a shaking incubator is also available, which
allows for the continuous movement of the culture required for cell
aeration and solubility studies.
Uses

• Incubators have a wide range of applications including cell culture,

pharmaceutical studies, hematological studies, and biochemical studies.
• Incubators can also be used in the steam cell research area.
11. Laminar Air Flow/ Laminar Hood
• Laminar Hood is a closed device primarily for processes or instruments
sensitive to microbial contamination.
Working Principle

• A Laminar Hood is made up of stainless steel, avoiding joints and corners

to prevent the accumulation of bacterial spores.
• This device creates a sterile environment with the flow of sterile air
through a High-Efficiency Particulate Air (HEPA) filter and shortwave
ultraviolet germicidal lamp that sterilizes the workstation.
• Laminar Air Flow has to turn on 15 minutes before to ensure complete
sterilization and the workstation should be cleaned with ethanol before
and after use.
Uses

• Laminar Hood is commonly used to conduct processes that are sensitive

to contamination.
• It is used for experiments related to plant tissue culture and for the
experiments of genetic transformation.
12. Magnetic Stirrer
• Magnetic Stirrer is a device commonly used in microbiology laboratories
for the purpose of mixing liquids.
Working Principle

• This device consists of a rotating magnetic or an electromagnet creating

a rotating magnetic field that allows the stir bar (a piece of heavy metal)
to move around in the vessel.
• It is coupled with a heating system to heat the liquid while it mixed.
Uses

• It is usually used for mixing various liquid components in a mixture in a

chemical or microbiology laboratory.
• This device is used in place of other stirrers as it is noise-free and
because the size of the stir bar is so tiny, there is less chance of
contamination.
13. Microscope
• Microscopes are devices that allow the observer to an exceedingly close
view of minute particles.
Working Principle

• There are many different types of microscopes, each of which works on

their respective principles. However, there is some commonality in them.
• The basic principle in a microscope is magnification. Based on the
relative position of the object from the lens or electromagnets, different
positions, nature, and magnification of the image can be achieved.
• Different types of microscopes are developed to cater to the specific
needs of the observation. However, the common theme is magnification.
Uses

• Based on the type of microscopes, different microscopes are used for

different purposes.
• They are primarily used for the observation of minute particles which
cannot be observed with naked eyes.
14. pH Meter
• pH meter is a device used in laboratories that measure the H-ion
concentration in water-based solutions to determine the acidity or
alkalinity of the solution.
• A pH meter is often termed as “potentiometric pH meter” as it measures
the difference in electric potential between the reference and a pH
electrode.
Working Principle

• In a potentiometric pH meter, single or multiple glass electrodes,

connected to a bulb selective to hydrogen ions, are attached to a metal
rod.
• When the bulb with the electrodes is dipped into a solution, hydrogen ions
in the solution exchange with positive charges on the electrode
generating an electrochemical potential which is displayed in terms of pH
units on display.
Uses

• A pH meter is primarily used to measure the acidity of pharmaceutical

chemicals, cultures, soil, and water treatment plant.
• It can be used to measure the acidity level in wine and cheese during
their production.
15. Spectrophotometer
• The spectrophotometer is an optical instrument for measuring the
intensity of light in relation to the wavelength.
• Based on the amount of light absorbed by a colored solution, a
quantitative analysis of the solution can be done.
Working Principle

• Spectrophotometry is based on the Beer-Lambert Law, which states the

absorbance of light by a solution (of a particular wavelength) is directly
proportional to the concentration of the substance.
• Different wavelengths of lights are passed through a solution as different
substances have better absorbance at different wavelengths. Based on
the absorbance of a particular wavelength, the quantitative analysis of a
solution can be done.
Uses

• In a microbiology laboratory, a spectrophotometer is applied for the

measurement of substance concentration of protein, nucleic acids,
bacterial growth, and enzymatic reactions.
16. Vortex Mixture/ Vortexer
• A vortex mixture is one of the basic technologies used for the mixing of
samples in glass tubes or flasks in laboratories.
Working Principle

• It is based on the simple principle of causing reactions and

homogenization by agitating the mixture.
• Motorized draft shafts present on the mixer oscillates and transfers the
movement to the sample tubes causing the sample fluids to undergo
turbulent flow.
Uses

• Vortex mixer is mostly used for the mixing of various sample fluids in the
sample tubes and also allows for the homogenization of cells and cell
organelles.
17. Water Bath
• Water Bath is a conventional device that is used for chemical reactions
that required a controlled environment at a constant temperature.
Working Principle

• A sensor in the device transfers water temperature to a reference value

which is then amplified and a control system generates a signal for the
heating system which heats the water to the desired temperature.
Uses

• Water baths are primarily used for heating samples under a controlled
temperature.
• These are suitable for heating chemicals that might be flammable under
direct ignition.
18. Water Distiller
• A water distiller is a device that purifies water by the process of distillation.
• This instrument is commonly used in medical laboratories, microbiology
laboratories, organic chemistry laboratories and medical industries.
Working Principle

• A water distiller is based on the principle of distillation.

• According to this process, water is first brought to a boil and then
condensed into liquid form to obtain pure distilled water.
Uses

• It is used to obtain distilled water required for many lab tests as well as
for the preparation of culture media.