Shalash & Mason �1
Abstract
Objective: Environmental sustainability is decreasing every day due to the actions of humans.
Many substances used in the home can be released into the environment over time, causing the
deterioration of our earth around us, specifically aquatic animals. This study tested the effects of
ammonia window cleaner on E. coli compared to ammonia-free window cleaner and water. If
ammonia in window cleaner is exposed to E. coli, it will create a larger zone of inhibition
compared to a window cleaner without ammonia.
Methods: The study compared three different substances, Sprayway Ammonia Free Glass
Cleaner, Up&Up Ammonia Glass Cleaner and water. Each of the substances were tested in three
different trials. The substances were placed on three different nutrient agar petri dishes that were
swabbed with E. coli. Then, the dishes were placed in a 37°C incubator for 24 hours.
Results: The zone of inhibition was taken for each substance as well as the overall averages for
each trial. Up&Up Ammonia Glass Cleaner had no zone of inhibition in any trial. Sprayway
Ammonia-Free Glass Cleaner had a zone of inhibition of 5 mm, 4 mm, and 2 mm with an
average of 3.7 mm overall. Water had a zone of inhibition of 1 mm, 2 mm, and 4 mm with an
average of 2.3 mm overall.
Conclusion: The data suggests the opposite effect of ammonia than was predicted and therefore,
the experiment didn’t validate the hypothesis that was created. After 3 trials, ammonia-free
window cleaner and water were found to have had a larger zone of inhibition than ammonia
window cleaner. Ammonia window cleaner was found to have no effect on the environment due
to the absence of a zone of inhibition.
Shalash & Mason �2
Introduction
Bacteria is a very general term that describes trillions of microbes in the world. Bacteria
are prokaryotes that don’t have chloroplasts or a mitochondria and reproduce asexually through
binary fission. Through this process, daughter cells are created. (1). A specific type of bacteria is
known as Escherichia coli, E. coli, which refers to a large group of bacteria typically found in the
intestines of humans. (2). Scientists have found that E. coli O157:H7 produces a powerful toxin
that is bad for humans. (3). Normally, E. coli is an important component to the human intestine
track but there are a few forms that can be extremely harmful. These forms can cause a variety of
illnesses including diarrhea and abdominal pain and are transferred through water, food, or
contact with other humans and animals. (4).
To culture bacteria, you must start by swabbing your substance and transferring it to your
agar plate. After that, you put the swab into a water filled tube. Make sure to mark the location
and date on the agar plate to keep track of the culture. (5). Culture media is the food or liquid
used to culture bacteria by growing and controlling them. There are several types of culture
mediums, liquid that supports growth of microorganisms, that...
