In terms of Microbiology, the winogradsky column is considered an important tool. The columns were invented by Sergei Winogradsky as a way to enrich microbes from sediments and soils. Winogradsky columns are a method for essentially taking a snapshot of a sediment environment and studying the microbial communities that live there. It can be used to teach students about microbial communities, nutrient cycles, metabolic niches, methods in microbiology, and other interesting concepts.
It is meant to be helpful to recreate an artificial ecological system. The column shows a succession of microorganisms as well as the enrichment of different bacteria. It is used to facilitate the growth of microorganisms, which in turn can be isolated and identified. A Winogradsky column can show shows various levels of growth (i.e., aerobic and anaerobic). The column improves the study of organisms in nature, rather than lab strains that are in sense.
Scientists can view the succession and enrichment of various microorganisms throughout the various microhabitats within the column itself (water and mud, aerobic to anaerobic environments). Thus, giving great insight into the ecology of microorganisms in lakes and streams or in almost any environment.
Preparation of the column
For the preparation of the Winogradsky column nutrients such as calcium carbonate, calcium sulfate, and cellulose are being collected from different sources. The column provides numerous gradients, depending on additive nutrients, from which the variety of organisms can grow. The aerobic water phase and anaerobic mud or soil phase are one such difference. Because of oxygen's low solubility in water, the water quickly becomes hypoxic (refers to the low level of oxygen) towards the interface of the mud and water. Anaerobic phototrophs are still present to a large extent in the mud phase, and there is still capacity for biofilm creation and colony expansion, as shown in the image. Green growth is often attributed to these organisms such as algae and other aerobic phototrophs which are present along the surface and water of the upper half of the columns.
Material
For the preparation of the column pond water or tap water along with the mud and sediment sample is mixed with a rich carbon source such as the newspaper or dead leaves (contains cellulose), Antacids for getting calcium carbonate, and a sulfur source (a rotten canned fruit syrup or gypsum or egg yolk or plaster of Paris) can be used. Potassium sources like crushed bananas and potatoes. These aforementioned materials are mixed and packed in a quartz jar.
• Sediment sample (1cup)- The sediment (or mud) sample is a snapshot of the environment under investigation. It is the inoculum for the community of microbes that will grow in the Winogradsky column. Therefore, the sample size is important to which microbes will grow in the column.
• Sand(3cup)- Adding sand to a mud sample creates a more gradual gradient of the spread of microbial populations throughout the column. This allows for better visualization of the different microbes. (If the sediment sample is already of sand, additional sand need not be added.)
• Water (1 gallon) -Water from the same source as sediment sample) + dechlorinated water (leave tap water open to the air for several days for dechlorination). Water collected from the source of the mud will act as an additional inoculum of microbes and also help to recreate the original environment. Dechlorinated tap water will also sustain microbial growth, but the other ingredients become more important.
• Antacids (CaCO3, and/or NaHCO3,20 tablets in hot water)
Antacid tablets are a source of calcium carbonate which is a buffering agent and a source of CO2 for autotrophs.
• Quartz jar- It is the body to contain the mixture which must be less permeable to O 2.
A toxic gas to many microbes in the column, which can hinder their growth.
The protocol
1. Collect the sediment and water sample.
2. Clean the bottle in order to prepare the column, wipe it with a clean dry cloth.
Dry the bottle check out no moisture is left behind.
3. Preparation of nutrients-
Cut down the newspaper in small strips and crush dry leaves, add the paste of plaster of Paris, add the sulfur source as well as the potassium source and Antacids.
4. Mix the sediment sample and sand altogether and pour it above our nutrient layer.
5. Finally add the water sample and leave around 1 to 2 inches from the top of the bottle for air.
6. Cover the bottle or jar with a plastic bag rubber or an air-tight seal.
7. Leave the jar under the sunlight and observe the changes that will take place.
Result and observation
Our final observations of the column included the documentation of a large bloom of microbes in the water that gave it a cloudy yellow tint. There was a thin layer of aerobic microbes on the surface of the water. There was a thick, colorful layer of bacteria on top of the mud. In the mud itself, there was a large, thick bloom of microbes that went around almost the entire column. The green growth can be observed in two to three weeks and then different layers of winogradsky column with different microorganisms can be observed in the next couple of months.
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