Contamination in petriplates - (Dec/28/2006 )

Why one takes care about the media bottle caps,Closing them tight after Autoclaving,n how come a petri plate media will not get contaminated even though its lid is so loose..

Hi:
I recomend that after autoclaving the media and it is cold enough put parafilm over the cap and keep in the refrigerator until need. It will last longer. Always check that the autoclave is working fine.

it has also to do with the right angles involved in aersols trying to get into the plate. it can happen, but if you leave the lid on properly and store your plates in a place without excess moisture, they can last quite some time without contaminating

did you learn about swan-necked flasks in school? if those worked, it's not a surprise that a petri dish doesn't contaminate easily

check this out