Main Project

The Effect of Molybdenum on S. epidermidis Biofilm Formation Sharlene Faye Manlongat Niles North High School

Results/Data Analysis Control (0µl)

50µl

100µl

200µl

300µl

400µl

500µl

600µl

24 hours

48 hours

Data Analysis In all trials, the zone of inhibition is 0 cm. After an additional twenty four hours (forty eight hours after inoculation), bacteria continued to grow at a “normal” rate. Each petri dishes demonstrates continuous growth with varying amounts of molybdenum.

Error Analysis - Transferring filter papers with molybdenum solution. The filter papers were transferred from a petri dish where it was soaked in molybdenum and sterilized, to a separate petri dish inoculated with bacteria. To reduce the possibility of contact with contaminants, unsterile materials should be kept away from work area and the amount of transferring or slightly opening petri dish should be kept to a minimum. - Error may have occurred reusing materials for experimentation. Although all precautions and processes for sterilization were taken carefully, 100% sterilization cannot always be guaranteed. Due to this possibility, the bacteria or petri dishes may have been contaminated. This risk could be reduced by removing unsterile items away from workplace and taking more precautions when sterilizing materials. - Another stage in the process in which error may have occurred was when petri dishes were streaked with bacteria. Each plate was streaked four times to mimic many Kirby-Bauer tests that have a full layer of bacteria throughout the plate. To minimize the chances of this occurring, each plate should be inoculated similarly, as in same amount of streaks or rotations around the plate. - In this experiment, seven different amounts of molybdenum were tested; 50µl, 100µl, 200µl, 300µl, 400µl, 500µl, and 600µl. Although this range of amounts is rather broad, the concentrations might have been too low to affect growth. There could be a possibility of the molybdenum not being effective enough with said concentrations. Therefore future research could be altered to test molybdenum with higher amounts to ultimately test its effectiveness.