Experiment Z1.

Testing of the Microbial Safety of Your Room

Sri Hayyu Alynda Heryati
UNESCO-IHE Environmental Science Programme 2015/2017

A. OBJECTIVES

To test the microbial air quality of my room.

To test the potential risk for keeping food in my room outside the refrigerator.

B. METHODS AND RESULTS

1.

Testing the Microbial Air Quality of My Room

The nutrient agar medium inside a sterile petri dish was carried to my room with lid closed. Then
placed on the table (approx. 1 meter high) beside my bed. The lid of petri dish opened for one hour.
After taking sample, the petri dish incubated. The sample opened at my room in Mina
Krusemanstraat student housing, Delft, and the experiments were carried out in microbiology
laboratory (L1) at 2nd floor of UNESCO-IHE building, Delft in 7th December 2015.

Figure 1. The colonies grew on agar plate after one hour opened in my room.
After incubated, there were five colonies of microorganisms observed on plate. One of them was a
mold colony that identified from the thread-like shape with green colour. The others were bacteria
colonies with colour of yellowish and white with round shape. The number of airborne microbes
existed in my room was 5 colonies per hour.
2.

Testing the Potential Risk for Keeping Food in My Room Outside the Refrigerator
The small bread sample inside a petri dish left opened for one day (24 hours) at my room in Mina
Krusemanstraat student housing, Delft. This bread observed everyday from 7 December 2015 to 5
January 2016 (30 days). Because of winter season, the air was dry and cold. To help the
microorganisms grow on bread, a small piece of tissue dampened with water. This treatment
performed at 9th day and made the air condition inside the petri dish moistened. After quite
moistened, the molds started to grow and quickly covered the bread. Mostly it had white colour,
meanwhile the others had green colour. But in the end of observation, almost all surface of bread
covered with green molds.

The Mold of Bread Growth Rate

1
0.9
0.8

% Coverage of Mold

0.7
0.6
0.5
0.4
0.3
0.2
0.1
0
0
-0.1

10

15
Days

Figure 2. The growth rate of mold bread and the pictures of mold on bread.

20

25

30

C. DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSIONS

1.

Testing the Microbial Air Quality of My Room

This experiment confirmed that the air in my room was not sterile from the airborne microorganisms.
Airborne microbes are biological airborne contaminants, also known as bioaerosols, like bacteria,
viruses or fungi as well as airborne toxins (Gray, 2012). The sources of airborne microorganisms, i.e.
from soil, food, or dust that directly or non-directly carried away with the air moisture. People can
be affected by ingesting it or contact with it. In this experiment, five colonies of airborne
microorganisms were found and one of then was mold. Fungal molds can produce spores that blown
with air. The closed and warmed room during winter could affect the number and type of
microorganisms existed.

2.

Testing the Potential Risk for Keeping Food in My Room Outside the Refrigerator
This experiment use bread as nutrient medium for molds. Molds are microscopic fungi that have
roots that shaped like very thin threads. The molds must use other plants and animals as its food
source because it couldn't do photosynthesis. The molds could cause allergic reactions, respiratory
problems, and produce mycotoxin (USDA-FSIS, 2013). The visible colour of molds are the spores of
molds. This airborne spores could spread using air moisture as a means. The first appearance of mold
at the 14th day could be said as late because the bread initially very dry. The bread started to mold
after moistened with wet tissue and then the molds grew fast. Drying, keep food closed, and put it
inside a refrigerator were ways to preserve foods. The bread grew molds late also because this
experiment conducted during winter season.

References
Gray M. (2012) Airborne Microbes. Available from:
http://serc.carleton.edu/NAGTWorkshops/health/case_studies/microbes_air.html
United States Department of Agriculture, Food Safety and Inspection Service (2013) Molds On Food: Are They Dangerous?
Available from: http://www.fsis.usda.gov/wps/portal/fsis/topics/food-safety-education/get-answers/food-safetyfact-sheets/safe-food-handling/molds-on-food-are-they-dangerous_