How to Sterilize Liquids without an Autoclave or Pressure Cooker.

I thought I would share a process for sterilizing material without the need of an Autoclave or a Pressure Cooker. This method is quite simple and can be completed with household items. The method of sterilization I am talking about is known as Tyndallization, fractional sterilization or discontinuous heating. The process simply involves boiling the goods to be sterilized in a jar at 100°C for about 15 to 20 minutes per day, for three days in a row. The rest of the time, it just sits on the counter at room temperature. The idea behind this is that any microorganisms that don't get killed by the first day's boiling session will germinate from the warmth and get released from their spore coatings, and then get killed in the next day's boiling session, or, if they survive that one, then on the third day's boiling session. This method “Pasteurizes” the material Log5 (99.999%) x3 which is equivalent to a Log6 (99.9999%) reduction of micro-organisms.

Equipment

1. Pot with Lid

2. Mason Jar with Lid

3. Agar Agar Solution or Liquid Culture Solution

Procedure

1. Prepare your Liquid Culture or Agar to be sterilized

2. Pour into a Mason Jar

3. Loosely fit the Mason Jar lid

4. Bring to a raging boil a pot of water

5. Submerge the mason jar into the boiler water

6. Set timer for 20 minutes, and boil (Careful to make sure you have enough water in the pot at all times)

7. Take out the Mason Jar and let it cool

8. Repeat process for 2 more days.

This process also works for sterilizing pre-poured Agar Agar in Petr-dishes (If it is borosilicate or PP)