Dey-Engley Neutralizing Agar Plate

Principle And Interpretation

Dey-Engley Neutralizing Agar is formulated as per the procedure described by Engley and Dey (1). A strongly bacteriostatic substance inhibits the growth and reproduction of bacteria without killing them. These bacteria hold the ability to cause infection under favourable conditions. Dey-Engley Neutralizing Agar neutralizes a broad spectrum of antiseptics and disinfectants including quaternary ammonium compounds, phenolics, iodine and chlorine preparations, mercurials, formaldehyde and glutaraldehyde. (1).

Casein enzymic hydrolysate provide essential nutrients. Dextrose is an energy source. Yeast extract is also a rich source of vitamin B-complex. The present formulation incorporate neutralizing substances for almost all the active products used as antiseptics and disinfectants. Sodium bisulfite neutralizes aldehydes; sodium thioglycollate neutralizes mercurials; sodium thiosulfate neutralizes iodine and chlorine (1); lecithin neutralizes quaternary ammonium compounds; and polysorbate 80, a non-ionic surface-active agent, neutralizes substituted phenolics (2-5). Bromocresol purple is an indicator for dextrose utilization. Due to the high concentration of lecithin in the broth medium, turbidity cannot be used to detect growth. Therefore, bromocresol purple and dextrose are added to the medium. Those organisms that ferment dextrose will turn the medium from purple to yellow. (1).

For Agar Medium: Dey -Engley Neutralizing Agar medium can be over-filled, producing a meniscus or dome-shaped surface that can be pressed onto a surface for sampling its microbial burden. Incubate the plates, by covering the lids, at an appropriate temperature. The presence of microorganism is determined by the appearance of colonies on the surface of agar medium. Neutralization Test: Growth in Neutralizing Broth and no growth in Neutralizing Broth Base indicate neutralization of disinfectant. To check bactericidal activity, both broth tubes are inoculated on D/E Neutralizing Agar. Positive growth from negative tubes of Neutralizing Broth Base indicates bacteriostatic substance while negative growth indicates a bactericidal disinfectant. All positive tubes should show growth on Dey-Engley Neutralizing Agar. The control disinfectants used in test procedure are 2% chlorine, 2% formaldehyde, 1% glutaraldehyde, 2% iodine, 2% phenol, 1/750 quaternary ammonium compounds, 1/1000 mercurials etc.