Microbiological loop - simple, usually made of metal wire and fixed on the loop holder. Such loops are used in laboratory studies to create smears of microorganisms.
Appearance
The wire forms a round loop with a diameter of up to 5 mm and is fixed on the loop holder. Most often, the loop is made of tungsten or nichrome (an alloy of nickel and chromium), very rarely - from platinum. Nichrome microbiological loops are widely used due to their low cost. Platinum is the most expensive, so it is rare. Tungsten loops - due to their resistance to high temperatures, as well as high and low pH, they have a longer service life than nichrome
Recently, microbiological loops began to be made of plastic. They are much cheaper than analogues made of metal and usually short-lived. Unlike nichrome and tungsten loops, plastic cannot be sterilized in a flame - they are chemically sterilized.
Application
Microbiological loops are used to create smears on a glass slide to study microorganisms under a microscope. Before applying the smear, the loop is sterilized. If microorganisms are in liquid agar, then even a slight touch of the loop on the surface of the agar is enough to collect enough material for the smear. The liquid adheres due to the surface tension effect.
Smears from solid media are made mechanically - a small amount of agar is taken on the loop, a smear is made on the glass in a drop of water. After applying the smear, the loop is sterilized in a flame. If the loop is plastic, it can be cleaned with alcohol. Or another antiseptic. Sterilization of the loop after each use is required, otherwise there is a risk of foreign microorganisms entering the test material.