Remove large particles

How to get rid of large particles

Filter your sample through a 10 µm cell sieve. This adds an extra step to your sample preparation protocol but it's a very effective and relatively low-cost method.

Break up clumps and chains first

Break up bacteria aggregates before you filter your sample for large particles. This avoids underestimation. See Break up clumps and chains.

Example

Stool samples are a good example. See Crude samples) for a protocol tailored for stool samples. While focused on stool samples, this guide also contains good general information.

Motivation

Large particles (above 10 µm) may clog the BactoBox® setup. Remove these large particles from your sample before you measure it with BactoBox®.

Particles of various size. Source: https://www.visualcapitalist.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/10/relative-size-of-particles-infographic.html