Basal Mineral Medium is supplied by HiMedia. It is available in the form of a cream to yellow homogeneous free flowing powder. Basal Mineral Medium is used for the cultivation of Beggiatoa species. It is advisable to store this product below 30C. Composition (in gm/L) is as follows:

Ammonium chloride (0.80)

Dipotassium phosphate (0.70)

Magnesium sulphate heptahydrate (0.01)

Disodium EDTA (0.009)

Ferrous sulphate heptahydrate (0.007)

Calcium sulphate, dihydrate (0.002)

Boric acid (0.0001)

Zinc sulphate, heptahydrate (0.0001)

Manganese sulphate, quadrahydrate (0.00002)

Cobalt nitrate (0.00001)

Sodium molybdate dihydrate (0.00001)

Copper sulphate pentahydrate (0.0005)

Beggiatoa is mostly found in natural environments high in heterotrophic organisms. Beggiatoa is one of the few filamentous bacteria that is motile. They have sulphur granules within their cells and attached growth is usually uncommon. Beggiatoa has a cell width of 1.0-3.0 m and filament length of 100-500 m. The nutritional requirements of organisms belonging to the genus Beggiatoa are poorly understood. They require dilute culture media and are inhibited by conventional media. Also, an increase in nutrients does not elicit a proportional increase in cell numbers. Basal Mineral Medium is used for the cultivation of Beggiatoa species as this medium contains a variety of different salts in varying concentration, which provide the necessary nutrients required for the growth of Beggiatoa.