BacterStain™ Alcohol

An solvent used in staining methods, such as Gram staining, to decolorize bacteria, fix, and dry cell samples
Code: 04011
Packaging: 100ml/bottle or according to the customer’s request..
Storage Conditions: 18 – 25°C.
Transportation: Ambient temperature.
Shelf Life: 24 months from the date of manufacture.

INTENDED USE

BacterStrain™ Alcohol is used in staining methods such as Gram staining and cell staining to decolorize bacteria and cells during the staining process. In Gram staining, alcohol helps remove excess dye from Gram-negative bacteria while retaining the color in Gram-positive bacteria. Alcohol is also used to fix cell samples, clean samples, and dry them after staining.

PRINCIPLES

BacterStrain™ Alcohol acts as a decolorizer in Gram staining. When alcohol is applied, it penetrates the bacterial cell wall and causes it to shrink or expand, depending on the type of cell. Gram-positive bacteria, with thicker peptidoglycan layers, retain the dye (Crystal Violet), while Gram-negative bacteria lose the color due to their thinner cell wall, which is more easily decolorized by alcohol. Additionally, alcohol helps dehydrate and dry the cell sample, making it easier to observe under the microscope.

Used in Gram Strain Kit

Prepare a thin smear on clear, dry glass slide.
Allow it to air dry and fix by gentle heat
Flood with BacterStain™ Crystal Violet (Code: 04007) for 1 minute.
Wash with tap water
Flood the smear with BacterStain™ Lugol (Code: 04005). Allow it to remain for 1 minute
Decolourize with BacterStain™ Alcohol (Code: 04011) until the blue dye no longer flows from the smear
Wash with tap water
Counter stain with BacterStain™ Safranine (Code: 04008) for 1 minutes and rinses off with water
Allow the slide to air dry or blot dry between sheets of clean bibulous paper and examine under oil immersion objective

RESULTS

Gram-positive bacteria stain dark violet with gentian: Staphylococcus, Streptococcus, Pneumococcus, Diphtheria bacillus, Bacillus anthracis.
Gram-negative bacteria do not stain violet with gentian, so they appear pink-red with fuchsin: Neisseria gonorrhoeae, Neisseria meningitidis, Escherichia coli, Shigella, Salmonella, Vibrio cholerae.

BacterLab ensures the quality of each product batch by testing with ATCC reference strains.

For 1 liter of strain

Alcohol

1000 mL

*Note: This ingredient is for reference only our company will formulate the ingredient according to requests or tender specifications.

Product Name	Code	Packaging
BacterStrain™ Alcohol	04011	100ml/bottle or according to the customer’s request.