UBIQUITY OF MICROORGANISMS

Demiel Kaye Abdon, Ma. Rica Paulene Marquez

Department of Biology University of the Philippines Baguio

ABSTRACT
Microorganisms are organisms that can be seen with the aid of magnification.
These microorganisms occur in every part of our surrounding without being seen
by the naked eye. Because of the ubiquity of microorganisms, different aseptic
techniques are used in the laboratory to effectively culture different
microorganisms. Microbial colonies were observed and compared from the
different surroundings such as air, water, soil, hair, and detergent.
INTRODUCTION
In microbiology, culturing different microorganisms in different culture media is
important in studying microbiology. When culturing microorganisms, different aseptic
techniques are used in order to culture a specific microorganism in a certain culture media and to
avoid any contaminants. Aseptic techniques are used in culturing, because microorganisms are
known to be ubiquitous.
Ubiquity refers to the state or capacity of being everywhere.

[1]

Microorganisms are

organisms that are not visible with the naked eye. A help in the magnification is needed in order
to see and observe this organisms. The phrase, Ubiquity of Microorganisms, refers to the
concept that microorganisms are everywhere. This is not entirely true, but microorganisms
(especially prokaryotes) occupy an amazing diversity of niches. In our everyday common
experiences, microbes are virtually ubiquitous. They are in the air we breathe, the foods we eat,
and the water we drink. Microorganisms contaminate the surfaces of objects that we use (like
sheet of paper) as well as the skin of our fingers.[2]

In this laboratory exercise, there is an increase in awareness regarding the ubiquity of

microorganisms and the importance of aseptic technique.
MATERIALS AND METHODS
The 10 petri plates with pre-poured nutrient agar and potato dextrose agar
prepared on the previous laboratory exercise were used for this experiment. One nutrient agar
plate was left and exposed to the outside air and another one was left and exposed inside the
room. Two nutrient agar plates and two potato dextrose agar plate were used for the hair, one NA
plate and one PDA plate were touched with fingertips before touching the hair and another two
were touched after touching the hair. One NA and PDA were also used before and after washing
the hands with detergent. Two drops of tap water were placed in one nutrient agar plate, the
water was scattered in the agar plate by swirling the plate. Fine soil was also placed in one
nutrient agar plate and was scattered throughout the plate. The 6 nutrient agar plate and 4 potato
dextrose agar plate were placed in one plastic in inverted position. It was incubated for at least 24
hours at 37OC.
DISCUSSION
Microorganisms are organisms that are too small to be seen without the aid of
magnification. Microbes can be found in several kingdoms and include bacteria, archaea,
protists, fungi and some helminthic parasites.[2] Viruses and prions are also included even though
they arent necessarily alive. In this experiment, the nutrient agar and potato dextrose agar plates
were exposed to different environment and were incubated in an inverted position for atleast 24
hours. It was incubated in an inverted position instead of an upright position to prevent
condensation from falling into the microorganisms, thereby contaminating samples.

Condensation in Petri dishes causes bacterial samples to spread and conceivably blend with one
another. Warm incubators tend to attract more condensation, so the dishes are inverted. Reversal
permits water to trickle down onto the cover, far from the agar, as opposed to onto
microorganisms.[4]
After the incubation, microbial colonies are observed. Microbial colonies are visible
bunch of microorganisms that sprang from a single mother cell, which makes each member
genetically identical. As the microorganisms consume the nutrients, they begin to grow and
multiply. This generates thousands to millions to billions of cells that begin to pile up, becoming
visible to the naked eye. This pile of cells originates from one cell and is called a microbial
colony.

[5]

Each species of microorganisms produces a colony that looks different from the

colonies produced by other species of microorganisms. Examination of the form and structure of
microbial colonies is termed colony morphology and is one of the first steps in characterizing
and identifying a microbial culture.[5]

Figure 1 Microbial Colonies from Air

Figure 1 shows two nutrient agar exposed to air inside and outside the classroom. It can
be observed that the microbial colonies formed from air outside the classroom is diverse
compared to the colonies formed from air inside. The colonies formed when exposed to the
inside air shows small to large sized, are all white in color, circular, and has an entire type of
margin. Also, the colonies are raised (slightly elevated). The colonies formed when exposed to
the inside air shows small to moderate sized, yellow or white pigmentation, circular or irregular
form, and has an entire or undulate margin. Similarly, the colonies are also raised (slightly
elevated).

Figure 2 Microbial Colonies from Hair

Figure 2 shows two nutrient agar and two potato dextrose agar touched with fingers
before and after running through hair. It can be seen that there is no visible colony formed before
running fingers through hair. This is because the persons fingers were washed with alcohol

before touching the agar plate. This can specifically show the number of microbial colonies
formed from the hair only without the microorganisms from the fingers. It can also be observed
that the microbial colonies formed in the nutrient agar is more abundant compared to the
microbial colonies formed from the potato dextrose agar. Also, the microbial colonies formed
vary in size (small to moderate), color (yellow, white, or peach), form (circular or irregular), and
margin (entire, undulate, or filamentous).

Figure 3 Microbial Colony from Washing Hands with Detergent

Figure 3 shows two potato dextrose agar plates touched with fingers before and after
washing hands with liquid detergent. It can be observed that the microbial colonies are more
abundant before washing hands with the detergent compared to after washing hands with the
detergent. However, it can also be observed that washing hands is not enough to remove
microorganisms.

Figure 4 Microbial Colonies from Water and Soil

Figure 4 shows two nutrient agar plates with water and soil. It can be observed that the
colonies formed from the water are uniform and are small in size while the colonies formed from
the soil are uneven and have varying sizes. Also, both cultures exhibit colonies that are closely
beside each other.
CONCLUSION
From the experiment conducted, it can be inferred that microorganisms are ubiquitous.
All of the agar plates, except the agar plate where the fingertips touched the surface of the agar
before running through hair, had a positive abundance of growth on their agar surface. Microbial
colonies were observed and compared from the different surroundings. Colonies varied
depending on their size (small, medium, or large), color (white, yellow, or peach), form (circular
or irregular), margin (entire, undulate, or filamentous), elevation (raised), and texture (dry or
viscous). Microbial colonies from the hair, water, and soil were abundant in the agar plates
compared to the rest of the cultures.

REFERENCES
[1] Ubiquity. Retrieved from, http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/ubiquity, 04 April 2015.
[2] Clark College. Lab Module 1: Ubiquity of Microorganisms. Retrieved from,
http://web.clark.edu/tkibota/240/Lab/M1_Ubiquity.pdf, 05 April 2015.
[3]

Granieri,

Krista.

Ubiquity

of

Microorganisms.

Retrieved

from

http://schoonerchantal.com/bio10labmicrobes.pdf, 09 April 2015

[4] Wang, Nam Sun. Experiment No. 8B: Aseptic Culture Techniques. Retrieved from
http://www.eng.umd.edu/~nsw/ench485/lab8b.htm#Discussions, 09 April 2015
[5] Hartsock, Angela. Chapter 1: Lesson 10: Bacterial Colony: Morphology, Characteristics &
Definition.

Retrieved

from

http://study.com/academy/lesson/bacterial-colony-

morphology-characteristics-definition.html, 09 April 2015