Courtney Zahn

Lab Report 3
Bio 1316L
Dr. Gupta

Title:

Antibacterial properties of Various Cleaning Agents

Question/Purpose:
The purpose of this experiment is to determine if Lysol disinfecting wipes,
hand soap/detergent, hand sanitizer, and water are good antibacterial agents by
viewing agar plates which have been inoculated with bacteria from a cell phone,
and then comparing the results.
Hypothesis/Prediction:
The Lysol disinfecting wipes will have the best antibacterial properties, and
therefore the least amount of bacterial growth, followed by hand soap, then hand
sanitizer, and lastly water.
Materials:

Cell phone (bacteria)

Lysol disinfecting wipes
Hand soap
Hand sanitizer
Water
2 Nutrient agar plates
Sterile cotton swabs
Filter paper

Procedure:
1. Divide 2 agar plates with a line down the center and label each side with the
proper cleansing agent. (Lysol wipes, hand soap, hand sanitizer, water)
2. Wet a sterile cotton swab with distilled water and then run it over the cell
phone.
3. Inoculate the 2 agar plates using the cotton swab and a zigzag motion.
4. Cut a square from a Lysol disinfecting wipe and place on the agar plate in the
area labeled Lysol wipe.

5. Soak filter paper in hand soap and place on the agar plate in the appropriate
area.
6. Repeat step 4 with the hand sanitizer and water.
7. Observe next class and record results.

Group VI Results:

Bacteria Source Cell Phone

Petri Dish With.

Effect on Bacterial
Growth

Is There Any Difference

in Morphology?

Water

Did NOT stop

growth
Stopped SOME
growth

Round colonies

Hand Soap

Hand Sanitizer

Stopped SOME
growth

Lysol Disinfecting
Wipes

STOPPED growth

Bacteria grew in
waves around the
square
Colonies look like
spikes (not as
round)
Some rounded
colonies

Class Results:
Bacteria
Source

Group
Numbe
r

Water

Hand
Soap/Deter
gent

Hand
Sanitize
r

Lysol
Disinfecti
ng Wipes

Group
Membe
rs

Bench

No
growth

No
growth

No
growth

Growth
present;
No
inhibitio
n
Growth
everywh

Partial
inhibition

Partial
inhibiti
on

Growth
present;
Coloniza
tion
Complet
e
inhibitio
n

Drew,
Shareen,
Kodi,
Celeste,
Stevi,
Mary
Claire,
Annie,
Sally

Small
amount of

Minima
l

No
growth

Jennifer,
Derek,
Erica

Doorkn II
ob

Botto
m of

III

Shoe

ere

growth

growth

Mouth

IV

Growth

Partial
inhibition

Partial
inhibiti
on

Hair

Growth

Growth

Light
Growth

Cell
Phone

VI

Growth
present;
No
inhibitio
n

Partial
inhibition

Partial
inhibiti
on

under
cloth;
Growth
around
cloth
Complet
e
inhibitio
n
No
Growth
No
growth
present;
Complet
e
inhibitio
n

Brandee,
Briana,
Alyzza

Monica,
Claire,
Jacinta,
Chelsea
Ana,
Courtney,
Teyona,
Diana

Conclusions:

Our hypotheses were based on the knowledge that Lysol is

known for killing 99.9% of germs, water has never been known to kill
anything by itself, and hand soap has always been suggested to kill more
germs than hand sanitizer. After observing the bacterial growth on the
nutrient agar plates, it was noticed that the Lysol disinfecting wipes
completely inhibited bacterial growth. Growth of bacteria on the nutrient
agar plates showed partial inhibition from the hand sanitizer and hand
soap/detergent, with the soap/detergent containing a slightly greater amount
of bacteria than the sanitizer. Observations of the petri dish containing the
water showed no bacterial inhibition whatsoever. The results of this

experiment supported our hypotheses regarding Lysol disinfecting wipes

being the best antibacterial agent and water being the worst. Our
hypotheses which placed hand soap/detergent ahead of hand sanitizer in
antibacterial abilities were not supported, but the amounts of bacteria
present/inhibited were very similar.
Groups II-VI all had similar results. They observed no bacterial growth
with the Lysol disinfecting wipes and no bacterial inhibition with the water. The
antibacterial properties of hand sanitizer and hand soap/detergent were very
similar in Groups II-VI. They both resulted in partial inhibition of bacteria. Hand
soap/detergent was observed to have slightly better antibacterial properties
than sanitizer by Groups III and V. Group I had slightly different results than
Groups II-VI. Their experiments showed the Lysol disinfecting wipe to have no
antibacterial properties because it did not inhibit any bacterial growth. Group I
also observed that water did exhibit antibacterial properties because bacterial
growth was inhibited. Group I observations regarding hand soap/disinfectant
and hand sanitizer were also different from the observations of Groups II-VI,
because they completely inhibited bacterial growth.
The results of this experiment were conclusive regarding the properties of
Lysol disinfecting wipes and water (despite Group I results). Lysol disinfecting
wipes obviously have the best antibacterial properties. Water does not inhibit
bacteria, and therefore is not a good antibacterial agent. Hand soap and hand
sanitizer both result with partial inhibition of bacteria. It is debatable after
observing the results of this experiment whether the hand sanitizer or hand

soap/detergent is a better antibacterial agent. More testing could solve the

debate.
Possible errors could have occurred during this experiment. Errors could have
been made in the relative amounts of bacteria from the cell phone (or other source)
initially placed in each labeled area on the petri dishes. Errors could include the
amount of cleansing agents placed in each specified location. Errors in results could
have occurred because the hand soap/detergent was foam, which seemed to
disintegrate very quickly (before it was placed in the petri dish). Possible manual
errors could have occurred in Group I. They might have mislabeled their petri
dishes.
Our hypothesis regarding Lysol disinfecting wipes was supported, because
they stopped the most bacterial growth, and therefore have the best antibacterial
properties. Hand sanitizer stopped some bacterial growth, making it second in the
ranks as far as antibacterial properties, followed by hand soap, and lastly water.
Our hypothesis regarding water was supported by the experiment, because it did
not stop any bacterial growth, giving it the least antibacterial properties. Our
hypotheses regarding hand soap/detergent and hand sanitizer were backwards. We
hypothesized that hand soap/detergent would have better antibacterial properties
than hand sanitizer, but this was not the case. Hand sanitizer showed slightly less
bacterial growth than the hand soap/detergent.
Questions:
What is the purpose of this experiment?
The purpose of this experiment is to test the antibacterial properties of different
cleansing agents by observing bacterial growth (or lack thereof) of bacteria from a
cell phone on nutrient agar plates.
1. State 2-3 safety precautions that should be followed in this lab.
Gloves, goggles, and a lab coat should be worn at all times during this experiment.
Make sure to label petri dishes with the source of bacteria, the cleansing agent, and
group members. Use forceps to place filter paper on petri dishes to prevent

contamination. Tape the petri dishes closed, and do not remove tape or open the
petri dishes after the two-day incubation period.
2. Which chemical affected the bacterial growth the most? Which
affected bacterial growth the least?
Lysol disinfecting wipes affected the bacterial growth the most. Water affected the
bacterial growth the least.
3. You are a supervisor at a busy restaurant. You notice a staff
member is wiping the tables with just tap water. What, if any,
changes would you ask this employee to make? Explain your answer.
I would explain to the staff member that water does not have antibacterial
properties. I would suggest Lysol or any other cleansing agent with good
antibacterial properties. I would also explain the importance of the length of time
an antibacterial agent is left on a surface (longer time = better results), as well as
the importance of friction when wiping.
4. Write a conclusion for this experiment.
Our hypothesis regarding Lysol disinfecting wipes having better antibacterial
properties than hand soap, hand sanitizer, and water, was shown through
experimentation and observation, to be correct. Our hypothesis regarding water
having the least antibacterial properties was also observed to be true by this
experiment. Hand sanitizer stopped a little more bacterial growth than hand soap,
which also suggests that our hypotheses are correct. Lysol disinfecting wipes are a
good disinfectant. Hand sanitizer and hand soap stopped some growth, making
them much better antibacterial agents than plain water. Water did not have any
antibacterial properties, so should not be used alone to clean.
References:
Mader, Sylvia S. Laboratory 14: Bacteria and Protists. Biology Laboratory Manual.
11th ed. New York: McGraw Hill, 2013. 178. Print.