Friday, March 29, 2013

TO USE WOOD OR POLYETHYLENE CUTTING BOARDS

While researching for information on our laboratory product which is about determining the survival of microorganism on hardwood cutting boards and polyethylene (plastic) board, I found a research already done on the subject. There have been debates on whether the former, or later are safer to use and when asked what they thought most people said that bacterial will survive more on wood board even after sanitizing. Miller, Brown, and Call (1996), carried out a research to determine potential attachment and removal of bacteria from ground beef on wooden and polyethylene cutting boards. As their methods the researchers used meat and Escherichia coli samples on the board while maintaining basic sanitary measures.  At the end of their experiment, Miller, et al. (1996) found out that beef bacterial micro biota on polyethylene and wooden cutting boards had similar potential for attachment and removal. Nevertheless bacterial count and growth were higher on the new wooden cutting board at the end of the exposure than the old one. This might be due to the fact that wood is biodegradable and so provide a favorable environment for bacterial to grow and reproduce. Bacterial count will normally reduce with the old wood cutting board due to the presence of cracks and cuts which harbor bacterial. On the other hand, old plastic board will harbor more bacteria even after cleaning since it is not biodegradable. Despite the results of this experiment, it does not exclude contrary findings on the same topic. So it is up to everyone to decide either to use wood which does not keep bacteria on its surface or use plastic but replace it often due to the cracks. Whichever method one chooses, it is important to use proper sanitary measures in cleaning them in order to avoid diseases from bacteria like salmonella. This article was not only interesting in relation to my project but also in connection to what is thought in class on physical method of microbial control. This is because before controlling the growth and spread of a microbe, one must learn about the condition under which they survive.

Works Cited

Miller AJ, B. T. (1996). comparison of wooden and polyethylene Cutting Boards: Potential for the attachment and removal of bacteria fron ground beef. Eastern regional research center , 1-5.


Friday, March 22, 2013

INVESTIGATION PART I


For a couple of weeks now, we have been studying the effect and uses of antimicrobial  Thus while choosing an article for my research paper; I came across an interesting article on microbial resistance to triclosan. Triclosan is a broad spectrum antimicrobial which means that it is effective against a variety of microorganisms; bacteria, fungi, and viruses. According to Bauman (2011), triclosan is a Bisphenolic and is included in almost every product we use either for personal care or in materials such plastic and clothing. It is used worldwide toothpaste, shower gels, deodorant soaps, hand lotions, hand soaps, mouth washes, and underarm deodorant.
Serafini and Matthews 2009, as well as other researchers have been worried at the possibility that triclosan overuse can result in microorganism resistance to clinically important antimicrobial  In order to answer this question, Serafini and Matthews carried out two experiment using Staphylococcus aureus and Escherichia coli to first investigate the development of resistance by a clonal population of theses bacteria. The second experiment involved reversing the experiment to see if the bacteria could return to their wild life sensitivity to triclosan if grown without it. These researchers found out that both bacteria developed resistance to triclosan and both could be returned to their wildlife state.
The most important message to me as an ascribing nurse or to anybody reading this is that the more chemicals we use in and around our environment, the more antimicrobial resistance occurs and increase the risk of the development of “superbugs” that are resistant to traditional treatment. So we should not abuse the use of chemicals on ourselves or on our environment and thus save our world.
Works Cited.
Bauman RW. Microbiology with disease by Taxonomy. 3rd ed. San Francisco (CA): Pearson; 2011. 272p.

Serafini A. and Matthews DM. Microbial resistance to Triclosan: A case study in natural selection. The American Biology teacher. 17(9): 536-540.

PICTUIRES.
https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhIckyYoEgqGnATZ3_YEBOeM8INrswjzQGoB5MUIeO8r7XtKxKSZc-H_UW1rxwmJCzysj2mnYSC_8krxRF-QQ0Q5vOPOnldhHa-0NFcxAnSQ91gf0o1Y8Q3y31NtEXHQX7mCzCDW448Di4/s1600/triclosan_Products.jpg

http://glynnesoaps.com/soap_blog/wp-content/uploads/2012/04/Triclosan_Label.jpg

http://greenlivingonline.com/sites/default/files/ed_triclosan.jpg

http://copublications.greenfacts.org/en/triclosan/images/citizens-summary-triclosan.jpg



Friday, March 8, 2013

NEW VOCABULARY


IONIZING RADIATION AND IONIZING RADIATION:
Ionizing radiation is a form of radiation with a wave-length shorter than 1nm that are energetic enough to create ions by ejecting electrons from atoms. This type form radiation creates ions that disrupt hydrogen bonding, oxidize double covalent bonds, and create highly reactive hydroxyl radicals. They cause fatal mutations and cell death.
Nonionizing radiation has an electromagnetic radiation with a wavelength greater than 1nm as it does not have sufficient energy to force electrons out of orbit. This type of radiation affect the three dimensional structure of proteins and nucleic acids as electrons cannot form new covalent bonds.
DESICCATION:
This is drying, that inhibiting microbial growth by drying. The drying inhibits the spread of pathogens like syphilis, gonorrhea, and pneumonia bacteria. This form of drying have also be used for years for preserving foods like nuts, peas, grains, yeast, and fruit like apricots (especially in Pakistan).
AUTOCLAVE:
This is a device that uses steam heat under pressure to sterilize chemicals and objects that can tolerate moist heat. This device is used in autoclaving which is a moist heat related method of microbial control. An autoclave has a pressure chamber, pipes to introduce and let out steam, valves to remove air and control pressure, and pressure and temperature gauges to monitor the autoclaving process which is a sterilization method.
REFERENCE:
Bauman RW. Microbiology with disease by Taxonomy. 3rd ed. San Francisco (CA): Pearson; 2011. 664p.
PICTURES: