What a beautiful week! I absolutely love this weather! I have been busy in the lab the last two weeks. Last week I completed the first trial with interesting results and lots of bacteria! In the first trial I simply washed dishes, then rang the sponge out without rinsing the soap, then plated. I was curious what the results would be if I rinsed the sponge under water until no soap was present after cleaning, rang it out and plated. So, this week I am running a second trial to test my hypothesis. I suspect that by rinsing the sponge after cleaning dishes until no soap is present, the bacterial levels will decrease compared to forgoing this step. The second trial aligns more with the way I clean at home, so I will be interested to see the difference in results. I plan on running both a second time to confirm the results. 

Trial 2 Bacteria

            Disinfection of kitchen sponges has been a topic of research in the past, with the goal of determining the most effective disinfection method, types of pathogens, and how to prevent the spread of these pathogens that can cause illness. Kitchen sponges provide an ideal environment for bacterial growth. They come into contact with food, are porous, and hold moisture well, therefore are known to contain large amounts of diverse bacteria that can lead to foodborne illnesses. Knowing how to properly eliminate the number of bacteria can help prevent the spread of foodborne pathogens. A group of researchers published a study in 2017 found that “Nearly half (45%) of the homes tested positive for a foodborne pathogen, and 12% had multiple pathogens present in the kitchen.” (Borrusso & Quinlan, 2017) Due to the large number of pathogens found in the kitchen, it is imperative to study the most effective disinfection method of the common kitchen sponge.

            Another study focusing on using microwaves as a disinfection method found that “microwave treatment is an effective and simple method to drastically reduce the bacterial load of kitchen sponges by five to seven log-scales.” (Jacksch et al., 2020) With the microwave being partially effective in eliminating bacterial loads in kitchen sponges, it is important to continue research to find a simple method that can be easily adopted by households that eliminates bacteria in kitchen sponges. Research conducted by Dr. Annie Pryor found that bleach was the most effective method of disinfecting kitchen sponges, but the strong odor of the bleach may be a deterrent for some. (Dr. Annie’s Experiments - Sponge Disinfection Experiments, n.d.)

            This study will expand upon previous research with the objective of finding the most effective method for disinfection, as well as the highest likelihood the method will be used in the kitchen. To begin it must be asked, what disinfection technique most effectively eliminates bacteria on kitchen sponges? It is believed small amounts of bacteria will be found on the new kitchen sponges. It is also believed that after cleaning dirty dishes, all sponges will show an increase in bacteria levels. It is believed that the sponge treated with a 10 percent bleach solution will be the most effective at eliminating bacteria, with only a small number of CFUs (colony-forming units) after the incubation period. The sponge treated by one minute in the microwave will be only slightly effective and still have a large number of CFUs. Finally, the sponge left to air dry will have an increase in CFUs compared to CFUs after cleaning and before treatment. 

References

Best ways to clean kitchen sponges: Usda ars. (n.d.). Retrieved September 30, 2024, from https://www.ars.usda.gov/news-events/news/research-news/2007/best-ways-to-clean-kitchen-sponges/

Borrusso, P. A., & Quinlan, J. J. (2017). Prevalence of pathogens and indicator organisms in home kitchens and correlation with unsafe food handling practices and conditions. Journal of Food Protection, 80(4), 590–597. https://doi.org/10.4315/0362-028X.JFP-16-354

Cardinale, M., Kaiser, D., Lueders, T., Schnell, S., & Egert, M. (2017). Microbiome analysis and confocal microscopy of used kitchen sponges reveal massive colonization by Acinetobacter, Moraxella and Chryseobacterium species. Scientific Reports, 7, 5791. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-017-06055-9

Doucleff, M. (2017, September 11). So your kitchen sponge is a bacteria hotbed. Here’s what to do. NPR. https://www.npr.org/sections/thesalt/2017/09/11/548926054/can-you-really-not-clean-your-kitchen-sponge

Dr. Annie’s experiments—Sponge disinfection experiments. (n.d.). Retrieved September 30, 2024, from https://www.dranniesexperiments.com/sponge-disinfection-experiments

Jacksch, S., Thota, J., Shetty, S., Smidt, H., Schnell, S., & Egert, M. (2020). Metagenomic analysis of regularly microwave-treated and untreated domestic kitchen sponges. Microorganisms, 8(5), 736. https://doi.org/10.3390/microorganisms8050736

Knoll, S. (2019). The Microbial Community of Kitchen Sponges: Experimental  The Microbial Community of Kitchen Sponges: Experimental  Study Investigating Bacterial Number, Resistance and Transfer  Study Investigating Bacterial Number, Resistance and Transfer [Assumption College]. https://digitalcommons.assumption.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1052&context=honorstheses

Møretrø, T., Ferreira, V. B., Moen, B., Almli, V. L., Teixeira, P., Kasbo, I. M., & Langsrud, S. (2022). Bacterial levels and diversity in kitchen sponges and dishwashing brushes used by consumers. Journal of Applied Microbiology, 133(3), 1378–1391. https://doi.org/10.1111/jam.15621

Nielson, P., Brumbaugh, E., & Kananen, L. (2002). Evaluation of the Use of Liquid Dishwashing Compounds To Control Bacteria in Kitchen Sponges Get access Arrow. Journal of AOAC INTERNATIONAL, 85(1), 107–112. https://doi.org/10.1093

Odilichukwu, C., Okpala, R., & Ezeonu, I. M. (2019). Food Hygiene/Microbiological Safety in the Typical Household Kitchen: Some Basic “Must Knows” for the General Public. Journal of Pure and Applied Microbiology, 13(2), 17. https://doi.org/10.22207

Osaili, T. M., Obaid, R. S., Alowais, K., Almahmood, R., Almansoori, M., Alayadhi, N., Alowais, N., Waheed, K., Dhanasekaran, D. K., Al-Nabulsi, A. A., Ayyash, M., & Forsythe, S. J. (2020). Microbiological quality of kitchens sponges used in university student dormitories. BMC Public Health, 20(1), 1322. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12889-020-09452-4

Sharma, M., Eastridge, J., & Mudd, C. (2008). Effective household disinfection methods of kitchen sponges. Food Control, 4. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.foodcont.2008.05.020

Why kitchen sponges are the perfect home for bacteria. (2022). Cutting Edge, 17(16), 14. https://link-gale-com.ezproxy.pc.maricopa.edu/apps/doc/A697397052/STND?u=mcc_phoe&sid=summon&xid=aae45421

Wolde, T., & Bacha, K. (2016). Microbiological safety of kitchen sponges used in food establishments. International Journal of Food Science, 2016, 1659784. https://doi.org/10.1155/2016/1659784

  

 Hello again! This week's full moon brought out the crazy in my life! A lot of interesting events, but at least my daughter had a break from ASU on Monday and Tuesday. I loved getting to spend 4 days with her, and so did Dante:) We are almost at the halfway point in the semester, and I am definitely feeling it. Hopefully, things will settle down a little soon so I can pour more time into my research. My school workload was very heavy this week, so I didn't have much time to focus on my project background due next week. I plan on dedicating a large portion of my energy to completing that phase of the semester and will begin working in the lab tomorrow. I added a picture of my sponges to this page. I was surprised they came compressed; I thought Josh ordered Post-it notes at first:) 

 Happy Thursday! I am beyond excited to see some 80-degree weather in the forecast for next Friday! This week has been relatively quiet project-wise. I've been researching the best protocols and gathering information on the best way to conduct my experiment. My sponges were delivered, and I will start working in the lab next week! I haven't been in a science lab since I was a junior in high school chemistry class, so I will be relying heavily on Josh to remind me of safety protocols and best practices. I have much learning ahead of me, and I can't wait to see how the project progresses. I hope everyone has a great holiday weekend and gets some much-needed rest!

https://resources.workstationindustries.com/blog/top-10-laboratory-memes-for-april-fools-day

 

            The goal of this research is to determine bacterial levels and diversity in kitchen sponges as well as effective household disinfection methods. This research will begin with sterile sponges, first testing the new sponges for any existing bacterium. The sponges will then be used to wash dirty dishes, followed by testing each sponge for bacterial levels and diversity. Finally, the contaminated sponges will be disinfected through multiple methods, including microwave, dishwasher, and air drying. The significance of the research is to determine the most effective sanitation methods for kitchen sponges and the bacterial levels and diversity. Kitchen sponges are commonly used to clean dishes and with that comes the potential for cross-contamination from foods with bacteria, viruses, and molds. Illness from these pathogens contribute to hospitalizations and it is important to study the types of bacteria and the most effective method for elimination to prevent illness through cross-contamination.

            This research will be conducted by experimenting using dirty kitchen sponges. Each sponge will be tested using agar plates, one sample will be taken while the sponge is still damp, before disinfecting, then another after each disinfection method. The number of bacterial colonies will be observed after incubation.

            What are the bacterial levels and diversity of a dirty kitchen sponge and what is the most effective way to disinfect a kitchen sponge? It is believed that a dirty kitchen sponge contains a large and diverse number of bacteria and the most effective method for sanitizing the sponge is to use the microwave. It may be discovered that a combination of high heat and the time exposed to the heat will increase the effectiveness of the disinfection method. There is a possibility that none of the sanitation methods are effective in eliminating bacteria on a kitchen sponge.

 Back to sponges it is! At least for now:) Still waiting on the internship opportunities, the posting closes on the 30th of this month, so I should hear something soon after. Josh ordered the sponges and informed me they were delivered, let the washing begin. I will be focusing on my research proposal this week and hope I can manage my other courses in the meantime. Senior year has proven to be the most challenging thus far. So many papers! Although it's more work than learning a new programming language, I find it far less frustrating - something about being taught how to write in English early in life I'm guessing:) 

https://www.reddit.com/r/ProgrammerHumor/comments/hsicts/spongebob_meme/

Happy Wednesday! This week has been extremely busy, filled with tons of schoolwork! Although I have had more frustrating and challenging semesters (3 coding languages in one semester), this semester feels much more time consuming with all the readings, projects, research, and papers. I do feel like I am soaking it all in like a sponge, so that's reassuring! Speaking of sponges, I have pivoted to another project helping Josh with plant DNA extraction and studying the microbiome of the plant during droughts, including the root system, stems, and leaves of the plant. I am beyond excited for this research and am very curious about what we will find! Also, still waiting for the internship selection process - hoping for good news! Have an incredible week! 

 

Here's a link to an article from the DOE explaining plant microbiome.

https://www.energy.gov/science/doe-explainsthe-plant-microbiome