Modified Postgate’s B Media (MPB)
Detection of Sulfate Reducing Bacteria (SRB)
What is MPB?
This highly sensitive SRB growth medium is currently the NACE TMO-194 standard for the cultivation of SRB in oil and gas systems
- Modified Postgate’s B (MPB) Media was formulated by SRB research pioneer John Posgate in 1975
- MPB is a strictly anaerobic media and is manufactured at BTS inside custom built anaerobic chambers
How It Works
- MPB contains nutrients such as proteins, organic acids, and sulfate specially formulated to facilitate the growth of oil and gas field SRB
- The redox potential of properly made MPB, typically less than -300mV, will allow for the reduction of the sulfate to sulfide by SRB
- The biogenic sulfide created by SRB then reacts with dissolved iron species in the MPB solution. This reaction precipitates a black iron sulfide precipitate. Black precipitation in the vial indicates a positive for SRB
False Positive
If a water source inoculated into MPB has a significant concentration of dissolved sulfide, this can cause iron sulfide to form and create a false positive.
Part Number: MPB-%
Physical Characteristic: This anaerobic media contains white suspended solids that will settle to the bottom
Positive Reaction: Black solution
- The NACE standard (TM0194-2014) media for the detection of Sulfate Reducing Bacteria (SRB) in oil and gas systems
- Considered by most in the industry to be the a more sensitive media relative to API-RP38
- Biotechnology Solutions anaerobic bacterial growth media is manufactured inside custom built anaerobic chambers to ensure the highest quality media products
- This media does not contain an iron nail, it instead utilizes dissolved iron for the detection of sulfate reduction