R2A Dipslides

Our R2A dipslides are very popular within the dental hygiene industry and are often used to test dental water lines. With R2A agar on both sides, they are also often used for testing drinking water.

The R2A agar shows more colonies once incubated due to the slides detecting slower-growing species (for example chlorine-tolerant bacteria) unlike alternative more general-purpose dipslides.

Hydro-X Store’s R2A dipslides have R2A agar on both sides with added TTC, meaning colonies show up as red spots for easy counting and comparison.

Dental hygiene practices should look for results of less than 100-200 colony-forming units

Important Note

All dipslides require a period of time in a specialist incubator. You can view our dipslide incubator range here.

Please see the Datasheet section below for details of the incubation period required for these R2A dipslides.

Additional Uses:

• Potable water testing
• Pool and spa testing
• Environmental hygiene
• General heterotrophic bacteria testing

Storage instructions:  

The optimum temperature for dipslides storage is between 8-15 degrees C. A cool, dark place is best to prolong shelf life.  Please see the Usage Sheet below for more information

Additional information

Inside each 10 pack dipslide box you will find a helpful leaflet. The leaflet includes:

• Product care and storage instructions
• Guidance on interpreting the results
• A visual guide (comparison chart) to help you interpret the results
• Instructions on how to safely dispose of your dipslides once used

10 x adhesive labels are also included to help you keep track of each sample point (sample/date/time/ref/source)

Weight: (10 PK) 0.3 kg

Storage: Store in a cool and dry place (optimum 8-15 degrees C). Use before the expiry date on the box. Do not use slides if there is any sign of growth before opening. 

Please note a small amount of water may collect in the bottom of the tube, this is condensate from the agar and does not affect the performance of the dipslide agar.

How to use our Dipslides

Using our dip slides is easy! No prior training or experience is required to be able to use the dipslides and read the results effectively. Each dip slide has an easy-grip handle and a flexible paddle for ease of use and for surface testing

Testing Fluids

Remove the dip slide from its tube, and without touching the agar gel, immerse the gel part of the slide in the fluid to be tested for about 10 seconds, or hold the slide under running liquid, or spray so that both sides are covered. Allow excess fluid to drain for a few seconds. Replace in its tube, seal firmly, label as required and incubate.

Testing Surfaces

Remove the dip slide from its transparent container. Do not touch the culture agar gel. Holding the slide by the tab (and the bottom of the slide if required), press one side of the agar against the surface under test, the ribbed neck above the agar will bend to allow full contact. Repeat with the second side on an area close to the first site. Put the slide back into the tube, seal firmly, label as required and incubate.

Interpretation

After 48 hrs in the incubator, compare the dipslide to the chart provided in the box, reading the result from the closest matching image. Fluid results are counted in “colony forming units” (CFU) per millilitre. Surface results are in CXFU per square centimetre. Bacteria and yeast are both compared to the top chart. Fungi (furry colonies) are compared to the lower chart in the leaflet. Very high contamination levels may lead to a complete overgrowth on the slide. If this is the case, comparing the slide to an unused example will show the difference

Disposal

Used slides should be incinerated, autoclaved or soaked in disinfectant for several hours before disposal.