Development and Evaluation of Betalain-Rich Beetroot (Beta vulgaris L.) Root Extract as a Natural Staining Agent for Microscopic Bacterial Diagnosis

Vollständiger Abstract

Worum geht es in dieser Arbeit?

Bacterial staining is an important procedure in microbiological examination, but the frequent use of traditional chemical stains results in serious health and environmental problems. The research is focused on the efficiency of aqueous extracted “betalain” dyes from Beta vulgaris plant as a safe and viable alternative for staining environmental bacterial isolates. The method is based on preparation of aqueous extract at different concentrations (0.5%, 1%, 3%) and testing the effectiveness of the extract on heat-fixed bacterial smears, with a particular comparison between the samples treated with iodine solution as a mordant and the untreated samples. The results showed that the microscopic contrast improved with increasing extract concentration and the highest permeability was obtained at a concentration of 3%. The study also pointed to the critical. The study also demonstrated the key role of iodine in stabilizing the dye and sharpening the morphological details. The study concludes that the aqueous extract of Beta vulgaris, especially when enriched with iodine, is an effective and environmentally friendly diagnostic tool, which is in accordance with the standards of the green chemistry .