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Biology vocabulary · Laboratory Work and Techniques

Aseptic technique

Meaning in biology, with examples

/eɪˈseptɪk tekˈniːk/nounCommon term

In biology, aseptic technique means: A set of working methods that stop unwanted microorganisms from contaminating cultures, samples, equipment or the person doing the work.

In Turkish: aseptik teknik, steril çalışma tekniği

How it is used

It includes disinfecting the bench, flaming the inoculating loop, working near a Bunsen burner or in a biosafety cabinet, and keeping lids closed. Related words: sterile, contamination, contaminated plate. It is also called sterile technique.

Example sentences

  1. Poor aseptic technique is the most common reason for contaminated plates.

  2. Students must practice aseptic technique before they work with live bacteria.

Common collocations

  • use aseptic technique
  • sterile conditions
  • risk of contamination
  • biosafety cabinet
  • inoculating loop
  • cultureA population of microorganisms or cells grown in the lab in a nutrient medium under controlled conditions. As a verb, it means to grow them in this way.
  • petri dishA shallow, round, clear dish with a lid, used to grow microorganisms or cells on a layer of agar or another culture medium.
  • microscopeAn instrument that uses lenses or a beam of electrons to make very small objects, such as cells and microbes, look much larger so they can be studied.
  • incubateTo keep samples, cultures or eggs at a controlled temperature, and sometimes humidity or gas level, for a set time so that growth or a reaction can take place.

This word in other fields

The same English word can have a different meaning in another field:

More terms: Laboratory Work and Techniques

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