"C Coward" <cc122 at mole.bio.cam.ac.uk> wrote in message
news:bob5c6$pso$1 at pegasus.csx.cam.ac.uk...
> Greetings microbiologists...We're looking into the possibility of
> extending our capacity for growing Campylobacter. Currently we use a
> microaerobic workstation to maintain 85% N2/5% O2/5% H2/5% CO2 at 42oC.
> We're consdidering getting an air incubator and growing the bugs in
> containers with CampyGen gas packs. We've got a couple of microbiology gas
> jars but they're an awkward shape so was wondering whether there'd be any
> problems with getting appropriate size boxes e.g. Tupperware, taping the
> edges to attempt an air-tight seal, and using gas packs inside.
If you use comercially available gas packs intended for Campylobacter, you
have to be sure that the gas volume in your container is the same as the
containers for which the packs are designed, otherwise they either over- or
under- react. you also have to be very careful with the type of plastic you
use, if you go down that route as oxygen zaps happily through many types. We
used the anaerobic jars supplies by (I think) Beckton Dickenson, who also
made the packs.
> Also, are there any ways (indicator strips for example) to determine if
> you've successfully generated a microaerobic environment?
I THINK the company also supplied strips. It's a few years since I used the
things. Oxoid also supplied anaerobic packs, but I can't remember if they
did microaerobic ones.
Lesley Robertson
http://www.beijerinck.bt.tudelft.nl
