Nutrient TTC-Malt Dipslide

Nutrient TTC-Malt Dipslide

The weekly monitoring of bacteria levels in cooling water has been recommended by many legislators and professional authorities as a visual performance indicator to both system and treatment regime. This allows the user to gauge how effective a chemical or biocide product is in the particular application, and a trend can be quickly established identifying changes and taking quick remedial action where required. The Nutrient TTC-Malt dipslide is a recommended product for testing in this industry. The general industry guide is, counts should not exceed 103.

It should be noted that dipslides alone do not detect Legionella as a select microorganism, however, it is generally accepted that overall bacteria levels in excess of 104 are considered able to support Legionella and is a serious risk.

Similarly, the Nutrient TTC-Malt dipslide is frequently used to test cutting fluids. Uncontrolled or excess bacteria growth in cutting fluids can cause health problems, such as skin contamination or inhalation into the respiratory tract. This issue arises as the fluid develops aerosols when sprayed against high speed rotating work-pieces, presenting serious infection risks to operators. Excess bacterial fouling can lead to reduced efficiency of the actual fluid, resulting in overheating of the work-piece and tool damage. Then of course, there are the unpleasant odors present and a change in pH of the fluid. Full details are available on the HSE website.

SKU: M-NUT-MALT Categories: , , Tag:

Nutrient TTC-Malt Dipslide

See Product Documentation tab for a complete instructional download with information including test procedures, storage, incubation, and reading the results.

BioPaddlesLite iTunes App

The BioPaddlesLite App is a free app that helps you presumptively identify bacteria and mold colonies growing on your dipslide. By selecting the agar you used and the microhabitat you tested, the app will narrow down results from over 80 standard images. Compare your dipslide growth to the images for a presumptive identification, or use the grid for counting colonies. A more robust version is available for $5.99. The full BioPaddles app includes a library of over 250 standard images, as well as a camera function and reporting feature.

biopaddles lite app, dipslides

Disclaimer: Precision Laboratories products are not approved for use as medical devices. Products and product information is for informational purposes only and not intended for use to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any medical condition. Consult a medical doctor when needed.

M-NUT/MALT, NUT/MALT

Product Specs

SKU 1:

M-NUT-MALT-4 (4 Dipslides)

SKU 2:

M-NUT-MALT-10 (10 Dipslides)

SKU 3:

M-NUT-MALT-100 (100 Dipslides Bulk)

Paddle Dimensions:

1.167” (W) x 3.25” (H) [30mm (W) x 83mm (H)]

Box Dimensions:

13" x 11" x 5" [33 cm x 27.9 cm x 12.7 cm] (100-pack box), 4.5" x 3.5" x 3.5" [11.4 cm x 8.9 cm x 8.9 cm] (4-pack box), 6.34" x 2.56" x 4.425" [16.1 cm x 6.5 cm x 11.2 cm] (10-pack box)

Weight:

0.4 lbs [0.2 kg] (4-pack), 0.6 lbs [0.3 kg] (10-pack), 6.2 lbs [2.8 kg] (100-pack)

Other:

Flexible paddle for surface testing., Longer shelf-life than contact plates.

Shelf-Life:

6-9 Months

Label:

Customizable Label

Can dipslides be used to test drinking water or swimming pool water?

The dipslides estimate counts in CFU per mL. Drinking water is usually measured on a per 100 mL basis. The lowest dipslide number of 1000 CFU per mL which is equivalent to 100,000 CFU per 100 mL. This is well above the limit for swimming (200 CFU per 100 mL) and drinking water (< 1 CFU per 100 mL). Drinking water should be tested using EPA-accepted test methods such as pour plate and MPN.

If a dipslide is used as a substitute for a pour plate method, it is important to take the surface area of the dipslide into account. The surface area of the dipslide is 0.1 mL. A hard count of 1 colony is 1 per 0.1 mL or 10 CFU per mL. This is 1000 CFU per 100 mL – still 5x above the swimming limit and well above the drinking water limit. Note: The presence of a colony on a dipslide after incubation would be a FAIL for drinking water. The absence of a colony should NOT be considered a PASS. Due to the limited sample volume (or contact area) it is quite possible that water above the drinking water limit might not grow a colony on the dipslide.

The dipslides should be used to estimate gross contamination.

What percentage of the dipslide should be covered with the sample?

The full surface area of the agar (10 square centimeters) should be covered.

Can I dip a NUT/MALT dipslide in gasoline?

No, you need to “swab” the agar surface with the sample. Growth should include HPC (heterotrophic plate counts), as well as coliform counts.

Will the coliform dipslide work in salt (ocean) water?

Yes. Nutrient-TTC (NUT), Tryptic Soy (TSA), and MacConkey (MAC) agars can all be used for marine waters. Testing is essentially identical as for freshwater.

How long should I incubate dipslides?

If you are incubating at room temperature, we recommend an incubation period of 36 hours. If you are incubating at 86-90 degrees Fahrenheit (30 degrees Celsius), we recommend an incubation period of 24 hours. It is acceptable to incubate Microslides for 48 hours or more, however, keep in mind that the longer the Microslides are left to incubate, the larger the colonies may appear on the agar surface. When large numbers of microorganisms are present, an extended incubation period may result in Microslides that are difficult to interpret due to confluent growth.

Is a dipslide still acceptable to use if it has not expired but the agar is dried out?

No, the Microslide is not acceptable to use.

How much bacteria is an acceptable level for cooling water or metalworking fluid?

Although you should determine what is an acceptable level of bacteria for your unique system, a general guide would be less than 105-106 CFU/ml for cooling water and less than 106-107 CFU/ml for metalworking fluid.

Why did the Nutrient-TTC agar change from yellow to green?

The Nutrient-TTC agar color is normally light yellow when the agar is cast. After testing, during the incubation phase, the agar may change to a light green color. This color change is a result of either a microbial-induced or chemically-induced pH change in the media. This color change alone does not indicate the presence of microorganisms.  Development of red spots or other growth on the agar are an indication of microorganisms. 

What does the print on a dipslide vial mean?

The print on a Microslide vial is as follows: XXX/XXX BBE: YY-MM-DD XXXXXX. Where XXX/XXX is the media on side one /side two of the paddle, BBE is the expiration date, and the last set of numbers is the batch number. Side one of the paddle is marked by a laser indentation line on the tip of the paddle.

What is the shelf-life of dipslides?

The shelf-life of Microslides is 6-9 months if properly stored. Store out of direct sunlight at room temperature (do no refrigerate).

Do I have to have an incubator for dipslides?

No. Microslides can be set out at room temperature, or placed in a warm area such as the top of a refrigerator to “incubate”. Growth will still develop if Microslides are not incubated, it will simply take more time (at least 48 hours). Yogurt incubators or bottle warmers can also be used to speed up growth.

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