Pseudomonas Agar Base with the addition of supplements, is a selective medium for the isolation of Pseudomonas species primarily from clinical, food, water, and environmental samples.

The medium can be made selective for Pseudomonas aeruginosa by the addition of E&O LS0006 Pseudomonas Selective Cetrimide and Nalidixic Acid Supplement which complies to ISO 16266:2006 and ISO 11133:2014. Alternatively, the medium can be made selective for Pseudomonas species by the addition of E&O LS0026 Pseudomonas CFC Selective Supplement which complies to ISO 13720:2010 and can be used as a primary isolation medium according to Public Health England’s UK Standards for Microbiology Investigations.

Identification is achieved using the unique ability of P. aeruginosa to synthesise the iron chelating pigments pyoverdin and pyocyanin which combine to produce the characteristic green colonies of Pseudomonas aeruginosa. Production of these pigments is stimulated by the presence of magnesium and potassium ions in the medium. The presence of blue/green or brown pigmentation or fluorescence is indicative of presumptive Pseudomonas species. It should be noted however that further testing must be conducted to confirm the full identity of the organism.