Bacteria Cafeteria
Bacteria Cafeteria is a project focused on testing how much bacteria accumulates on different types of masks over different periods of time. Through these experiments, we will be able to decipher the most suitable material and time to clean or dispose of your mask.
Faith and I will conduct these experiments using three different materials and three different periods of time: cloth, surgical, and N95 and 4 hours, 24 hours, and 168 hours (1 week). We’ve chosen these times and materials because they are the most common for use in the community’s everyday lives. With these times and materials, we will extract the bacteria using sterile gloves, distilled water, a bowl, swabs, a pipette, and agar plates. In short, the distilled water will extricate as much bacteria from the mask as possible for one hour. Then, we will wring out the mask with gloves on to maximize the amount of bacteria remaining in the bowl. Next, we will draw out 5 milliliters from the bowl and insert the liquid onto an agar plate, coating the entire thing with a thin layer. Finally, we will use swabs to equally spread the liquid onto every edge of the surface and dispose of the mask, swab, gloves, and water in the bowl. Hopefully, through this procedure, we will be able to conclude the healthiest material and time to change your mask.
