The Student Room Group

TCP and bacteria

I've run into a few problems in my biology A2 coursework - finding the effect of TCP concentration on the growth of microbes (I'm using M. luteus).

1. What's does TCP actually contain? I initially thought it was Trichlorophenol, but it seems I may be mistaken. http://www.chemguide.co.uk/qandc/tcp.html
Wiki also says Trichlorophenol is a fungicide and not the same as the antiseptic I'll be using (Not that I'll be taking what wikipedia says too seriously of course).

2. How does TCP actually kill microbes? I have no idea of the actual mechanism. I don't need massive detail, but I should have something better than 'antiseptics kill bacteria' in my hypothesis.

3. The method I'm planning is to have a lawn culture in a petri dish and put a set amount of the concentration in a hole in the centre of the agar, then I could measure the translucent zone around it. Does this method seem sound or are there factors it doesn't consider? I was thinking maybe the concentration of the TCP might also affect how well it disperses through the agar, but I don't know if this a completely stupid idea or worth considering.

Any help very much appreciated