SCHOOL OF NATURAL AND APPLIED SCIENCE

DEPARTMENT OF BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES

TO: : Mr. VITUMBIKO CHIJERE CHIRWA

FROM: : LOVEMORE DINALA

REG. NUMBER: :BSC/FN/26/25

COURSE CODE: : BIO 111

COURSE NAME: : INTRODUCTORY BIOLOGY

LAB REPORT NO. :1

PRACTICAL TITLE : TO INVESTIGATE THE PRECENCE OF MICROBES IN

AIR AND TO INVESTIGATE IF DIFFERENT MEDIA
FAVOR THE GROWTH OF MICROORGANISMS

DUE DATE: :10TH OCTOBER, 2025

INVESTIGATING THE PRESENCE OF MICROBES IN AIR AND INVESTIGATING IF
DIFFERENT MEDIA FAVOR THE GROWTH OF MICROBES

ABSTRACT

Microorganisms, also known as microbes are microscopic organisms that are too small to be seen
by unaided eyes. They exist as unicellular, or acellular organisms, for example virus, and some
exists as multicellular since they depend on their host due to their small size. Agar containing
nutrients in it either solid or liquid is used media to culture microbes. The experiment was
conducted to overcome two hypotheses; first hypothesis was to know if the microorganisms are
present in air, and the second hypothesis was to know if different media favor the growth of
microorganisms. Nutrient agar (NA) and Potato dextrose agar were used during thus experiment.
Two treatments were conducted, one treatment inside the lab and the other treatment outside the
lab. Petri dishes were opened and exposed to air for five minutes and closed during the
treatments. The petri dishes were kept in incubation chamber together with two petri dishes left
without being opened for NA and PDA as control variables for a week so that the colonies will
grow. The experiment was repeated by eight groups.

After one week it was observed that NA and PDA petri dishes show the colonies of bacteria and
fungi while those that were left closed show no colonies of both bacteria and fungi. Colonies of
bacteria appeared as coloured drops of thick shiny fluid, while fungi colonies appeared as
circular, fluffy, white around the edges and coloured at the center where spores are being
produced. After that the total number of colonies for both bacteria and fungi were counted
physically, and the mean value of the data in NA and PDA was calculated for all eight groups.

The results show that there are microbes in the air, and this supports the first hypothesis. The
results also show that different media favor the growth of microbes in diverse habitats supporting
the second hypothesis, since the colonies of bacteria and fungi are present in both NA and PDA.
INTRODUCTION

Microorganisms, also known as microbes are microscopic organisms that are too small to be seen
by unaided eyes. They exist as unicellular, or acellular organisms, for example virus, and some
exists as multicellular since they depend on their host due to their small size [1]. Microorganisms
were the first living things appeared on earth and the study of fossil remains indicate that
microbial infections existed thousands of years ago [2]. Microorganisms live in different habitats
with all favorable conditions like pH, temperature, suitable for them to survive. These microbes
are classified into three domains namely, Bacteria, Archaea and Eukarya which includes Prostits,
Plantae, Fungi and Animalia. People tend to associate these microorganisms only with infections
and complications with spoiled food. However, most of the microorganisms help in maintaining
the balance of life in our environment. Marine and fresh water microorganisms form basis of the
food chain in oceans, lakes, and rivers. Soil microbes break down wastes and incorporate
nitrogen gas from the air into organic compounds, thereby recycling chemical elements [3]. They
are also used in the synthesis of such chemical products like vitamins and enzymes. Food
industries also use microbes in production of food products like vinegar, alcoholic beverages,
and yoghurt. Bacteria in our stomach, including E. coli, aid in digesting and synthesize some
vitamins that our bodies require. Culture medium supplied with nutrients contained in petri
dishes is used for the growth of colonies of microbes. A colony is a visible mass of microbial
cells that theoretically arose from one cell [4]. Agar, a polysaccharide extracted from marine red
algae is used to solidify the culture media [5]. examples of culture medium are malt extract agar
(MEA), nutrient agar (NA) and potato dextrose agar (PDA). This experiment was carried to
investigate the presence of micro microorganisms in air, and if different media favors the growth
of microbes.
MATERIAL AND METHODS

Initially, media (nutrient agar and potato dextrose agar) were prepared and sterilized. The
sterilization kills all the microbes present in the media before the experiment to ensure correct is
obtained [6]. There were four petri dishes in total, two Petri dishes for NA and the other two petri
dishes for PDA. At first treatment, two petri dishes, one for NA and the other for PDA were
opened and exposed to air inside the laboratory for five minutes and then closed after five
minutes. The second treatment, the remaining petri dishes were opened and exposed to air
outside the lab for five minutes and closed after five minutes [7].

The petri dishes together with the control variables were kept in incubation for a week chamber
for the growth of microbes.

After one week the colonies of microbes in the petri dishes were counted physically. The mean
value of data was collected for the eight groups attended the lab session.
RESULTS

After the end of the week the results were observed in such a way that the colonies of Bacteria
and Fungi are seen in the petri dishes. Colonies of bacteria appeared as coloured drops of thick
shiny fluid, while fungi colonies appeared as circular, fluffy, white around the edges and
coloured at the center where spores are being produced [8]. The colonies of bacteria and fungi
were observed and counted in both nutrient agar and potato dextrose agar in all the two
treatments and the mean value of microbes were calculated as recorded in the tables below.

Table 1: The mean value of bacteria and fungi in PDA in all the two treatments

Treatment Bacteria Fungi

Inside 3 4
Outside 7 12

Table 2: The mean value of bacteria and fungi in NA in all two treatments

Treatment Bacteria Fungi

Inside 5 5
Outside 13 17
DISCUSSIONS

From the results in the tables show that there are microbes in air which support the first
hypothesis say that there are microbes in air and also show that different media favor the growth
of all microbes which support the second hypothesis. A clear difference was observed between
the two media, Nutrient agar(NA), favored the growth of bacteria, evident by small, circular, and
often shiny colonies. Potato Dextrose Agar(PDA), favored the growth of fungi, which appeared
as large, fuzzy colonies. This aligns with the purpose of this media, NA supports a wide range of
bacterial species, while PDA being rich in carbohydrates, promotes fungal growth [9]. These
results cannot be similar to the other research because their presence in the air can be influenced
by environmental conditions such as humidity, temperature, and human activity [10]. Nutrient
agar favor growth of bacteria and fungi more than the potato dextrose agar as indicated by the
graphs below.

Figure 1: graph of mean value of bacteria and fungi in PDA media

14

12

10

8
Bacteria
Fungi
6

0
Inside Lab Outside Lab

Figure 2: the mean value of bacteria and fungi in NA media

 Chart Title
18

16

14

12

10

0
Inside Lab Outside Lab

Bacteria Fungi
CONCLUSION

The conducted experiment shows that the microbes are present in the air, and more bacteria and
fungi are present outside the lab. It has also shown that different media favors the growth of
microorganisms.

ACKNOWLEDGEMENT

Thanksgiving to Mr. Vitumbiko Chijere Chirwa for being humble and prudent, and all the
UNIMA biological lab technicians for the help offered in investigating the experiment.
Appreciation to my fellow lab members for the replication of the result used in the experiment.
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