Description

Durham Tube

A Durham tube is a specialized piece of glassware used in microbiology to detect the presence of gas produced by microorganisms during their growth.

Here’s a breakdown of its key features and functionalities:

• Design: It’s essentially a small test tube inserted upside down within a larger test tube. This creates a free-floating space at the top of the inner tube.
• Material: Typically made of glass, ensuring clarity for easy observation.
• Function: When a culture containing microorganisms is placed in the larger test tube and incubated, any gas produced by the microbes will accumulate in the small inverted tube (Durham tube).
• Gas Detection: The presence of a gas bubble trapped at the top of the inner tube indicates gas production by the microorganisms in the culture.

Benefits of using Durham tubes:

• Simple and inexpensive: A straightforward and cost-effective way to detect gas production.
• Easy to observe: The clear design allows for visual confirmation of gas presence.
• Wide range of applications: Can be used with various types of microorganisms and culture media.