Recently, I have cultured bacterium in a gel medium. I have seen many colonies grow, nearly 1/4 of an inch in diameter. They are of many colors, and in many varieties.

I plan to clone two of my "favorite" colonies (the ones that look most interesting), and grow them, and see how they interact.

My question to all of you, is, will it be safe to grow these microbes, and open my petri dish, and swab a few colonies.

The colonies were collected from outside, on the surfaces of plants, wood, and grass.

 

You opinions and advice will be greatly appreciated.

Just don't breathe near it...

Basically yes.

 

But I do suggest googling for microbiology safety resources.

well, I have only found that I should wear rubber glooves, wash hands frequently with disenfectant, wash work area with lysol, and or isopropyl, wear goggles, not inhale (really? Sarcastic hehehe), cover wounds and cuts, possily wear a mask, expose bacterium to air as little as possible, and thats about it, if anyone has anything to add, PLEASE DO.

Thanks.

also your other answer to this similar question is in PM now

Thanks YT

Jus found that out today:)

Were your microbes collected from normal environment? If then, i can't see any danger during your operation. If i were you, i would dare to do the experiment nakedly.

The danger lies in numbers. It is rare in the 'normal environment' to find such high concentrations of bacteria (at least in any form you would go anywhere near given the choice). The concentration increases the risk of infection because such numbers can overcome your primary immune defences more easily than the relatively lower concentrations to which we are normally exposed. Add to this the fact that you don't know precisely what bacteria are thriving in the culture, and I would say caution is required. In short, doing the experiment naked would be a bad plan.

not if you used the experiment to evolve strains resistant to various chemicals and so on. I keep meaning to have a go at this for the laugh.