Boys Have Cooties... Or Do They?
This topic submitted by Michelle Pfaltzgraff, Laura Jones, Sydney Davis (daviss2@muohio.edu) at 3:49 PM on 10/24/02.
Additions were last made on Wednesday, December 10, 2008. Section: Negron-Ortiz
Introduction:
The purpose of this experiment is to determine which of the two Peabody south corridor bathrooms contain more bacteria, menÔs or womenÔs. Our hypothesis is that the womenÕs bathroom will contain more bacteria than the menÕs bathroom. This hypothesis is based on previously done research that demonstrates that womenÕs bathrooms contain a higher amount of bacteria due to more frequent use and longer times spent per bathroom visits (Monk, 1999).
We came across this idea by communicating with the Teacher Assistants. They were able to show us previous projects and gave us a few suggestions. Based on these suggestions we decided to perform a comparison of bacteria abundance in bathrooms of different genders. We decided to use a nearby location that would provide good sampling, such as the bathrooms.
In choosing this experiment, we hope to determine which bathroom contains more bacteria. We are very interested in seeing the results, because it is relevant to us since we use these bathrooms on a daily basis, because bacteria is prevalent. Bacteria is everywhere. However, most of it is not harmful and can even be helpful to us humans at times (Encarta Online, 2001). ÒIn any environment it is important for a balance to be maintained between different types of bacteria so that those can cause disease will be kept in check (Meade, 2002).Ó Bacteria lack a nucleus and are made up of a cell wall made up of peptidoglycan, a protein-sugar molecule (Encarta Online, 2001). Bacteria is one the most commonly found and abundant organisms on earth and are in one way or another related to lives of almost all organisms (Encarta Online, 2001).
Relevance of your research question:
Investigations reveal that germs are most commonly found in sinks of both bathrooms and that the number of stalls a bathroom has can determine how germinated a stall can be. For example, if a bathroom has only one bathroom stall, then that stall is used more often than a bathroom with two or three stalls; therefore, it contains more bacteria. Furthermore, although the bathrooms are cleaned regularly, bacteria are able to survive despite the use of antibacterial cleaning solutions (Meade, 2002).
Additionally, women use bathrooms more frequently and stay in them longer, this accounts for the more abundance of bacteria in womenÕs bathrooms (Monk, 1999).
Furthermore, womenÕs bathrooms contain more fecal bacteria, which in essence means a larger potential of disease-causing organisms (Riddle, 1997). Basically, women sit down more than men, use the bathroom more often than men, and wash their hands more frequently, which leads to more bacterial germination. She also mentions that not only is fecal contamination found in bathrooms, but also Salmonella, E.coli, and diarrhea matter, which are present in every one in ten bathrooms (Riddle, 1997).
Moreover, in public bathrooms the sink is more prevalent with germs because it stays moist and bacteria can live better in moist environments. She also claims that womenÕs restrooms are not as sanitary as menÕs because women more frequently change babyÕs diapers and take small children with them into the bathrooms. Based on these articles we have arrived at our hypothesis: WomenÕs bathrooms will contain more bacteria.
Since this project relates so closely to us, hopefully we will inspire and generate better cleanliness habits, therefore making the bathrooms (at least in Peabody Hall) a little more sanitary. We realize that the problem of germs and bacteria in bathrooms can never completely be eliminated; hopefully this project can substantially eliminate the amount of germs found in bathrooms.
Materials and Methods:
Sunday night we will heat up the agar until it liquefies and we will pour the pre-prepared agar medium into a petri dish covering quickly to prevent contamination. We will prepare ten petri dishes each week. Sampling will take place every Monday night at seven oÕclock. We will swab the following areas in both the menÕs and womenÕs bathrooms of south corridor of Peabody Hall: the toilet seats, the inside door handles, the sink handles, and the locks on the stalls. The samples will be placed immediately following this, we will proceed to the science lab where we will leave the petri dishes over night to allow the bacteria time to cultivate. On Tuesday and/or Wednesday we will inspect the bacteria under a microscope and record the observations such as abundance, color, and general appearance. We will mainly be focusing on abundance of bacteria growth. We are basing this on a scale of 0 to 3 - 0 being no bacteria growth, 1 being low bacteria growth, 2 being average bacteria growth, and 3 high bacteria growth.
We believe our experiment is statically sound based on the advice we received from Professor Negron-Ortiz. We decided to obtain ten samples from the bathrooms for five weeks: Five different locations in the womenÕs bathrooms and the same five locations in the menÕs bathrooms. Professor Negron-Ortiz advised that this was a sound number of samples. We will ensure that our results are accurate by checking the samples under a microscope to determine what kind of bacteria are present each week. Therefore, since this is concrete evidence, any biased results can be avoided using this method.
Throughout this experiment, we will be storing old samples to compare them week after week, to ensure consistency of sampling. Also, we will be performing these bacteria swabbings at the same day and time every week. We can be ensured that the data collected from the bathrooms can be trusted since we have the concrete evidence (the bacteria). For this experiment we will be using agar medium, which supplies the bacteria with nutrients.
There are different ways we could have chosen to conduct this study. For example, instead of using both and men and womenÕs bathrooms we could have compared men to men or women to women. Instead we decided that contrasting men to womenÕs bathrooms would be more interesting. Also, we could have decided to conduct the experiment using public versus residential bathrooms. However, the residential bathrooms are more accessible to us and pertain more specifically to our lives as residential students. Obviously, a large portion of our class will inevitably be using these bathrooms, because most of the students live in Peabody. Therefore, the class will be indirectly involved in our studies throughout their day to day life.
After we have collected our data and determined what bacteria was found, we will ask the class to observe and make observations about the abundance of growth in the petri dishes. As we collect our samples we will record our data in tables week to week showing what bacteria is present and its abundance in each location.
Time-line of Events
Begin Experimentation - October 20, 2002
Every Sunday night we will prepare petri dishes for bacteria collection the following day.
On Mondays we will collect our samples and allow it to sit in the lab over night.
On Tuesdays we will inspect the bacteria and record observations.
This same routine will be done for four weeks.
Week Location Observations (Abundance)
Week 1 Girls - toilet seat
Week 1 Girls - Inside door handles
Week 1 Girls - Sink Handle
Week 1 Girls - Locks on the stalls
Week 1 Boys - toilet seat
Week 1 Boys - Inside door handles
Week 1 Boys - Sink Handle
Week 1 Boys - Locks on the stalls
Week 2 Girls - toilet seat
Week 2 Girls - Inside door handles
Week 2 Girls - Sink Handle
Week 2 Girls - Locks on the stalls
Week 2 Boys - toilet seat
Week 2 Boys - Inside door handles
Week 2 Boys - Sink Handle
Week 2 Boys - Locks on the stalls
Week 3 Girls - toilet seat
Week 3 Girls - Inside door handles
Week 3 Girls - Sink Handle
Week 3 Girls - Locks on the stalls
Week 3 Boys - toilet seat
Week 3 Boys - Inside door handles
Week 3 Boys - Sink Handle
Week 3 Boys - Locks on the stalls
Donald. October 25, 2001, Bacteria In Boys And Girls Living Environments, Encarta Online. 2001, Bacteria, Kelly, B B. September 1, 2000, Nineteen Surprising Things That Can Make Your Kid Sick, Meade, M. May 19 - 23, 2002, Drug Resistant Bacteria Survive in Bathrooms Using Antibacterial Soaps, Monk, A. 1999, Bathrooms - You May Want To Think Twice Before Using Them, Riddle, A. June 11, 1997, YouÕre Mom Always Told You To Wash Your Hands After Going Potty,
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