Bushnell-Haas Broth | Hydrocarbon Degrading Bacteria Medium | Ausamics

Bushnell-Haas Broth

Cat. No.: AS-1162

Overview

Bushnell-Haas Broth (Bushnell-Haas Medium) is a mineral salts medium used for the isolation, enumeration, and study of hydrocarbon-degrading microorganisms.

Originally developed by Bushnell and Haas (1941), this medium provides essential inorganic nutrients while lacking a carbon source, requiring supplementation with hydrocarbons such as mineral oil, kerosene, paraffin wax, diesel, or gasoline to support microbial growth.

This selective formulation is widely used in environmental microbiology and petroleum microbiology to evaluate microbial degradation of hydrocarbons. Growth of hydrocarbon-utilizing organisms is typically observed as turbidity in liquid cultures.

Bushnell-Haas Broth supports the growth of microorganisms capable of using hydrocarbons as their sole carbon and energy source, including species such as Pseudomonas spp.

Applications

Bushnell-Haas Broth is widely used for:

• Detection and enumeration of hydrocarbon-utilizing microorganisms in soil, water, fuel, and oil-spill samples
• Bioremediation research, including degradation studies of petroleum hydrocarbons (TPH) and PAHs
• Microbiological quality control of aviation fuels, lubricants, and petroleum-based products
• Environmental monitoring of fuel contamination and microbial degradation
• Studies on microbial ecology and hydrocarbon metabolism

Key Features

• Carbon-free mineral salts formulation ensuring selective growth only in the presence of hydrocarbons
• Provides essential nutrients including nitrogen, phosphorus, magnesium, calcium, and iron
• Supports growth of hydrocarbon-degrading bacteria such as Pseudomonas aeruginosa
• Suitable for enrichment culture and turbidimetric assays
• Widely used in ASTM, EPA, and fuel microbiology protocols
• Normal yellow-orange precipitate after autoclaving confirms proper preparation and does not affect performance

Composition (per liter)

Final pH: 7.0 ± 0.2 at 25 °C

Preparation

1. Suspend 3.27 g of dehydrated medium in 1 liter of distilled or purified water.

2. Heat gently with frequent agitation until completely dissolved.

3. Dispense into suitable tubes or flasks.

4. Sterilize by autoclaving at 121 °C for 15 minutes.

After sterilization and cooling, a yellow-to-orange precipitate may appear, which is normal and does not affect medium performance.

For use, aseptically add a sterile hydrocarbon source (e.g., mineral oil, kerosene, diesel, or paraffin) and inoculate the sample.

Prepared medium appears colorless to slightly opalescent with slight sediment.

Storage

Dehydrated Medium

Store in a tightly closed container at 10–30 °C, protected from moisture and direct light.

Prepared Medium

Store at 2–8 °C and use within 2 weeks.

Discard if:
• Uninoculated broth becomes turbid
• Contamination is observed
• pH changes significantly

Quality & Safety

• Manufactured under controlled conditions for consistent microbiological performance
• Each batch tested according to internal quality specifications

⚠ For laboratory research and industrial use only.
Not intended for food, pharmaceutical, or veterinary applications.
Not for diagnostic use without proper validation.

When handling hydrocarbon supplements, work in a well-ventilated area or fume hood. Dispose of contaminated materials according to laboratory biosafety procedures.

HS Code: 3821.00

Prepared culture media for development or maintenance of microorganisms.