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COMPARISON OF HOUSEHOLD DISINFECTANT SPRAYS USING THE KIRBY BAUER DISK DIFFUSION METHOD

Abstract

Frequently used surfaces should be cleaned and disinfected regularly to help prevent the spread of microbes that may make you sick. The Centers for Disease Control recommends that surfaces are first cleaned and then sanitized or disinfected them. Disinfecting a surface will kill most of the germs on that surface or object and differs from sanitizing and cleaning. The question then arises as to which disinfectants are best. A disinfectant spray’s efficacy depends on the intrinsic qualities of microorganisms as well as the external, chemical, and physical environment. Here we tested the effectiveness of three household disinfectant sprays–Lysol (household cleaner), Method (plant based cleaner), and Briotech (HOCl hypochlorous spray)—against a water control. The four solutions were tested against the bacteria Staphylococcus epidermidis and Escherichia coli. Efficacy was tested using the Kirby Bauer Disk Diffusion method. In this method small paper disks were dipped in each disinfectant and placed on plates of Mueller Hinton agar streaked with Staphylococcus epidermidis or Escherichia coli. The plates were incubated for 24 hours at 37ºC and then the zones of inhibition were measured. Based on the results, Lysol was the most effective overall, and was more effective on Staphylococcus epidermidis than Escherichia coli with a P value of 0.044.

Acknowledgements

Piedmont University Department of Natural Sciences Honors Program

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