Catalase Test Lab Report

sides. Every type of bacteria has a different morphology, it is important to distinguish it to aide in identifying bacteria.

The last test that should be performed after reviewing the results of the streak plate is the Catalase test. This test is used to see if the bacteria produces catalase, which is an enzyme that breaks down hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) into H20 and O2. If this test is positive, the hydrogen peroxide which is dropped onto the colonies in the streak plate will begin to bubble. If bubbles are produced that means the organism is an aerobe. Because H2O2 is such a potent agent, if an organism lives in the presence of O2, they need to be able to break down the H2O2 to survive. The bacteria tested positive for catalase, as the hydrogen peroxide was dropped onto the streak plate, it immediately began to produce bubbles.

This bacteria is a form of a fecal coliform, and one of the most common bacterium. Although some strains of this bacteria are harmless, certain strains can cause kidney failure, pneumonia, and sometimes even lead to death. E.coli was discovered in 1885 by a man named Theodor Escherich. Escherich came across this bacteria when he isolated a newborns feces and began to study it. Fifty years later, in 1935, it was found that E.coli was the main cause of diarrhea in newborns. E.coli is most commonly found in children and the elderly. Washing your hands thoroughly and often, especially after coming in close contact with feces, is one of the most effective ways of controlling the spread of