Expert: Walter Hintz - 1/30/2007

Question
Well, I am growing E. coli K12 for 24 hours and then putting different types of bandaids on the plates.  I am measuring the amount of bacteria before I put the bandaids on and am trying to figure out how to measure the amound of bacteria afterwards.
-------------------------------------------
The text above is a follow-up to ...

-----Question-----
"I am growing E.coli K-12 on nutrient agar and then trying multiple ways to kill it.  How would I know if the bacteria is dead? Would it show by its physical properties?"
-----Answer-----
Hi Kristin; i assume you are treating the plates before the growth of the bacteria or at least you should be.  The lack of growing colonies would indicate the effectiveness of the killing agent. Let me know a little more about your experimental design.

Answer
I am having problems with this method Kristin.  After 24 hours the colonies will have grown.  Any Band-Aid placed upon a colony will naturally destroy the colony.  But how can you see the colony with a Band-Aid over it and if you remove the Band-Aid to see that colony will be on the Band-Aid.  Do you have different chemicals on the Band-Aid?  Even if you put a Band-Aid on a plate before inoculation the physical presence of a Band-Aid will prevent growth.  I guess I do not understand this procedure