CFUcm

CFUcm refers to Colony Forming Units per milliliter, a standard unit used in microbiology to measure the concentration of viable bacteria or other microorganisms in a liquid sample. This measurement is crucial for assessing the microbial load or purity of a substance. To determine CFUcm, a serial dilution of the sample is typically performed. A small, known volume of each diluted solution is then plated onto a suitable growth medium, such as an agar plate. After incubation under appropriate conditions, the colonies that grow on the plate are counted. Each colony is assumed to have originated from a single viable microorganism in the original diluted sample. The number of colonies counted, multiplied by the dilution factor and divided by the volume plated, gives the CFUcm value. For example, if 30 colonies grow on a plate inoculated with 0.1 ml of a 1:1000 dilution, the CFUcm would be calculated as (30 colonies / 0.1 ml) * 1000 = 300,000 CFU/ml, or 3 x 10^5 CFU/ml. This method is widely used in food safety, water quality testing, pharmaceutical manufacturing, and clinical diagnostics to ensure products are safe and free from excessive microbial contamination.