Urea Hydrolysis Test

For the Urea Hydrolysis test, we can determine the ability of our bacteria to hydrolyze urea.

We obtained a urea medium tube and used the aseptic technique to inoculate the urea medium tube with a loopful of bacteria from our agar slant culture





















We then incubated the inoculated tube at 35 degrees Celsius for about two days.

Upon reviewing the results we found out that our bacteria did not utilize urea. 

Urea is excreted in urine to eliminate excess nitrogen from the body. Bacteria who do utilize it contain the enzyme urease to quickly degrade urea into carbon dioxide and ammonia. The presence of the carbon dioxide and ammonia make the medium more alkaline, causing it to turn more red. 

Since our's had no appearance of reddish or pinkish color we could determine that it does not utilize urea.