MadSci Network: General Biology
Query:

Re: How affective are antibacterial soaps?

Date: Mon Jan 25 13:08:21 1999
Posted By: Roy Costa, Faculty, Hospitality and Tourism Institute, Valencia Community College
Area of science: General Biology
ID: 916189488.Gb
Message:

Hi!

Bacterial soaps have not proven to be especially effective due to the 
porous nature of the skin. They will remove what we call the resident 
skin flora which are helpful bacteria, and may reduce the presence of 
the harmful bacteria, too, but the action of good old Ivory Snow will 
probably do just as well.

To conduct this experiment you will need petri dishes, gelatin and 
boullion cubes. Just boil the boullion with the gelatin and pour the 
mixture into the petri dishes. Wash your hands with several different 
kinds of soap and make a thumb print on the auger. Then use a warm 
closet to incubate the plates for a couple of days. When done look for 
colonies of bacteria, count them and compare the results.

Let me know if you need more advise.

Roy Costa RS MS
Education and Training Specialist
State of Florida




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