optimatored

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For all who are interested:

In my microbiology class we were asked to bring in samples of "cleaners" from home (Lysol, bleach...). We will be placing them on plates with "lawns" of bacteria to see the effectiveness of random cleaning agents.

My plan is to bring in Star San and Iodophor... if they let me I will take pictures for everyone to see and post the results. This will be in about a week or so.

So to the vote... what will be more effective?

Star San or Iodophor?

Just a few notes on the experiment:

We will be doing a filter paper method to determine effectiveness. We soak a paper disk in the sanitizer and then add the disk to the bacterial plate. The greater the area of "clearing" the more effective the cleaning agent is against the type of bacteria. In this case is either B. subtilis or S. aureus.

Just a simple way to determine effectiveness and more interesting that scientific. As some agents may just travel father on the plate that others.


UPDATE 4/20/2010

The bacteria I was given is S. aureus... We inoculated each plate with our bacteria, then soaked a paper disc in the following.

4 plates total: 1 Star San, 1 Iodophor, 1 Phenol, and 1 is straight bleach. Results will be next week.


RESULTS 4/27/2010

There really is no winner in the end... I am going with inconclusive results because Iodophor really did nothing at all. This could be because the Iodophor evaporated off the disc, did not diffuse across the plate, or my concentration was low. Who knows, but it was fun any way. Just in case I am sticking with Star San!

Note the cleared area around each white disk showing no bacterial growth. Pictures were taken with my cell phone so are not the best.

Attached Images

     

goose1873

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they both work 100% if used correctly...i vote both (I was a microbiology major and recommend changing majors unless you plan on being a doctor or teacher)

cheers

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optimatored

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Just need it for nursing.

conpewter

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I'm saying star-san. It claims to "go after" bacteria even when sugar or other carbohydrates are present, unlike something like bleach that is in-discriminatory.

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pjj2ba

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I vote for Iodophor working better. I think the pH of the starsan may be adversely affected by the ingredients in the media, which might raise the pH above that recommended for Starsan. Both will be diluted, but I don't recall iodophor having pH issues

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TXCurtis

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Iodophor all the way.

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Nothing to worry about, but really hard to get enough for a whole bowl of cereal. - bull8042

Ohio-Ed

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No idea but anxious to see the results.

Would be really interesting to see this over time...
1 second, 30 second, 1 minute contact, etc...

AZ_IPA

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Special Hops

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Don't really care. Both are obviously affective enough for home brewers.

Laughing_Gnome_Invisible

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I voted "Elephant" because I am uneducated and I know a gerbil with a lisp.

Looking forward to the results. Thread duly prosted.


Edit. This thread could be even more interesting than it first appears if we get to see the data that compares these sanitizers to common household cleaners. I, for one, when disposing of my old starsan do so creatively. I put some in the dishwasher, some down the waste disposal, some in the whirlpool bath (Real bacteria traps) It would be nice to see if i'm wasting my time or not.

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