Inoculating Loops and Needles
Devices used for inoculation, serial dilution, sterile sampling, sample transfer, and microbiological sample spreading; available in materials such as polymers, aluminum, and other metals. Includes disposable and color-coded products.
Inoculating loops and needles (sometimes called microstreakers or inoculating wands) are hand-held devices for inoculating plated or tubed growth media with micro-organisms such as bacteria or yeasts prior to incubation, multiplication, and growth. The inoculum is typically streaked onto, or stabbed into, solid agar-based media, or simply introduced and dispersed into liquid media. Inoculating loops and needles are also useful for sampling and transferring small quantities of micro-organism prior to further analysis, microscopic examination, or serial dilution.
Inoculating loops and needles consist of a handle with a terminal loop or needle that is designed to pick up and transfer a small quantity of inoculum (typically 1 to 10 μL) from a donor culture to the growth medium of choice. Some loops are calibrated and color-coded to transfer semi-quantitative amounts of inoculum.
Alkali Scientific CellPro™ Inoculating Loops, Rigid Polystyrene 1uL, 1000/Case, Individually Wrapped
These sterile disposable plastic loops and needles are designed for use in quantitative procedures such as sampling, urine counts, and serial dilutions, as well as for bacterial inoculation. Because they are pre-sterilized and designed for single use, there is no risk of cross-contamination and no need for flaming. The unique hexagonal shape of the shaft makes it easier to grip, orientate, and guide through a smooth streaking process. The loop surfaces are extremely smooth with no rough edges and no flashing or burrs on the loop head. This results in the elimination of cutting or gouging of the agar surface. Rigid loops and needles allow for more precise streaking patterns on agar plates, which is essential for isolating individual colonies or performing quantitative assays. They are also better suited for handling viscous or dense samples, where flexibility might impede the ability to effectively collect and transfer the sample.
Thomas Scientific 1æl Inoculating Loop, Individual Pack, White, 218mm, Sterile
CELLTREAT inoculating loops and needles are made from high quality polypropylene and are available in 3 styles; needle, 1µl loop and 10µl loop. The stems are flexible and can be bent to access small volume tubes and dishes and they are color-coded for easy identification. The surface of the loops and needles are vacuum-gas plasma treated, they are packaged in peel-to-open paper/plastic wrappers and are sterile (gamma irradiated). An inoculation loop, also called a smear loop or micro-streaker, is a tool used by biologists to retrieve inoculum using the phenomenon of surface tension. The loop is used to cultivate microbes by streaking agar in a petri dish or plate for subsequent growth. The size of the loop is consistent assuring accurate and repeatable transfers. CELLTREAT L-Shaped Cell Spreaders are ideal for evenly spreading bacterial cultures and are made from high quality polypropylene. They are packaged sterile (gamma irradiated) in individual or bulk, easy-to-ope
Cole-Parmer Argos Technologies Small Inoculating Loops, 2.45 mm ID; 25/Pk
These inoculating loops are made from high quality twisted nichrome wire. The loops have been designed to slide along agar surfaces without cutting or tearing. They cool rapidly and are less expensive than platinum. The loops are supplied without handles and available calibrated or non-calibrated. Brass loop handles are sold separately as models 04396-40 and -41.
MTC Bio Inoculating loops, 1µL, rigid PS, 50 sterile peel bags of 20 loops, 1000/pk
These sterile disposable plastic loops and needles are designed for use in quantitative procedures such as sampling, urine counts, and serial dilutions, as well as for bacterial inoculation. Because they are pre-sterilized and designed for single use, there is no risk of cross-contamination and no need for flaming.The unique hexagonal shape of the shaft makes it easier to grip, orientate, and guide through a smooth streaking process. The loop surfaces are extremely smooth with no rough edges and no flashing or burrs on the loop head. This results in the elimination of cutting or gouging of the agar surface. The flexibility of polypropylene loops makes it easier to maneuver them within Petri dishes, test tubes, or other confined spaces, improving the researcher’s ability to collect and transfer samples efficiently. The flexibility allows for more precise sampling from cultures, especially when working with small or delicate colonies.