'Aerosolized' pathogens hang around after toilet flushes in public bathrooms

upi ^ | 25 April A.D. 2021 | Staff

[lightman]

If you're in a public restroom, you may not want to hang around too long, because lots of airborne pathogens are hanging around, too.

Researchers from Florida Atlantic University's College of Engineering and Computer Science conducted flush tests in a public restroom with both a toilet and a urinal.

"After about three hours of tests involving more than 100 flushes, we found a substantial increase in the measured aerosol levels ... with the total number of droplets generated in each flushing test ranging up to the tens of thousands," said study co-author Siddhartha Verma.

He is an assistant professor of ocean and mechanical engineering at the university. RELATED Flushed toilets produce clouds of virus-containing particles, simulations show

Pathogens that can cause Ebola, norovirus and even COVID-19 can be found in stagnant water, as well as in urine, feces and vomit.

According to the research team, flushing can generate large amounts of airborne germs, depending on flushing power, toilet design and water pressure.

For the study, the researchers placed a particle counter at various heights of the toilet and urinal to capture the size and number of droplets generated by flushing. They did the same with a covered toilet. RELATED 'Smart toilet' recognizes users' backsides, analyzes poop

Few public restrooms in the United States have lids, and urinals are not covered.

Droplets were detected at heights of up to 5 feet for 20 seconds or longer after initiating a flush, the findings showed.

The investigators detected fewer droplets when the lid was closed before flushing, but the number wasn't much less. This suggests that aerosol droplets escaped through small gaps between the cover and the seat. RELATED Wastewater testing for COVID-19 could soon be a reality

Verma noted that both the toilet and urinal generated large quantities of droplets under 3 micrometers in size, posing a significant transmission risk if they contain infectious microorganisms.

"Due to their small size, these droplets can remain suspended for a long time," Verma explained in a university news release.

The researchers reported a 69.5% increase in measured levels of particles between 0.3 and 0.5 micrometers in size; a 209% increase for particles sized 0.5 to 1 micrometer; and a 50% increase for particles between 1 and 3 micrometers.

According to study co-author Masoud Jahandar Lashaki, "The significant accumulation of flush-generated aerosolized droplets over time suggests that the ventilation system was not effective in removing them from the enclosed space even though there was no perceptible lack of airflow within the restroom."

Lashaki is an assistant professor of civil, environmental and geomatics engineering.

"Over the long-term, these aerosols could rise up with updrafts created by the ventilation system or by people moving around in the restroom," he explained.

Even larger aerosols can add risk, the study authors noted.

Co-author Manhar Dhanak, chairman of ocean and mechanical engineering, pointed out that the study suggests that "incorporation of adequate ventilation in the design and operation of public spaces would help prevent aerosol accumulation in high-occupancy areas such as public restrooms."

The restroom was deep cleaned and closed 24 hours before conducting the experiments, and the ventilation system was operating normally.

The report was published recently in the journal Physics of Fluids.

Stella Batalama is dean of engineering and computer science at the college.

She concluded that "aerosolized droplets play a central role in the transmission of various infectious diseases including COVID-19, and this latest research by our team of scientists provides additional evidence to support the risk of infection transmission in confined and poorly ventilated spaces."

[lightman]

Chew on this:

There is a lot of REAL science indicating that COVID—like cruise ship noroviruses—is spread primarily be fecal to oral transmission.

Let that sink in.

Remember about a year ago when there were a few quickly buried stories about communities in the New England states that were going to start testing sewerage for COVID?

Let that sink in.

Now consider this: In many States (Pennsylvania and Ohio for sure) the mask mandates are explicit that those in restaurants MUST wear a mask INTO THE RESTROOM where of course that cloth will absorb all toilet odors and other zhit.

Let that sink in.

Then the patron MUST wear the zhit laden mask back into the restaurant so that with every exhale the patrons innocently eating pancakes can get a dose of the restroom zhit.

Let that sink in.

[AppyPappy]

“zhit laden mask”

I have my band name now

[frank ballenger]

If you were a grad student desperate for a job and the professor told you about a vitally important testing research data collection effort, what if examining droplets on toilet seats and toilets in public restrooms was the job?

[Hot Tabasco]

And a major problem are those wall mounted electric hand dryers....I never use them

[ProtectOurFreedom]

The investigators detected fewer droplets when the lid was closed before flushing, but the number wasn't much less. This suggests that aerosol droplets escaped through small gaps between the cover and the seat.

But the same gap between a face mask and your skin doesn't matter. Aerosol droplets simply cannot escape through that gap.

[FormerFRLurker]

Now consider this: In many States (Pennsylvania and Ohio for sure) the mask mandates are explicit that those in restaurants MUST wear a mask INTO THE RESTROOM where of course that cloth will absorb all toilet odors and other zhit.

So how is the cloth that masks are made of different than the cloth that clothing is made out of? Are you going to require that patrons remove all their clothing before entering a public restroom? That could get interesting really quickly.

[frank ballenger]

“zhit laden mask” I have my band name now

Best of luck.

If the sleazy owner wants Hank Williams songs play them. But don't run up a bar tab for the beers you guys drink onstage all night.

[ProtectOurFreedom]

Tucked in your excerpt is this...

RELATED 'Smart toilet' recognizes users' backsides, analyzes poop

That's probably more important than the article you posted. Do we really want toilets scanning our butts? Will Biden require we all change out our toilets to scan our butts and analyze our poop? Think of all the jobs that would create and the gazillions of bytes of data they could collect on all of us. Would that butt & poop biometric data find its way into Google and Facebook? Just think how they could track you from toilet to toilet based on your butt bio.

Let that sink in.

[lightman]

Next step is for a cage to drop down around the toilet if you test “positive” and wireless alarm transmitted so that the firing squad can be summoned.

“Eliminate the virus” is the goal, right?

Let THAT sink in!

[heartwood]

The higher power the flush, air pressure assisted rather than water alone, the more spray or mist.

Also, there can be backflow from one toilet drain line another.

And they wonder how C. difficile spreads in hospitals.

[ridesthemiles]

I wonder how much more that turns into tiny droplets when the toilets have AIR pressure to let them use less water???

[Erik Latranyi]

This is nothing new.

The media loves hysteria. Every few years they write stories about how fecal matter ends up on your toothbrush because it is in the same bathroom with your toilet.

Viruses spread in ways that science does not fully understand....much like climate.

But they can make things up and pretend like they know how viruses are transmitted and proscribe “solutions”.

But, just like climate change solutions, none work and most have negative consequences.

[Jane Long]

I posted a few weeks ago, about a gal in the ladies room, in stall next to me....(at a ballgame) who was swinging her mask around, while doing her biz. (I could see it when it would go around, underneath/near the floor....eeeeew.)

She then proceded to place that *zhit laden* mask, back on her face, to wash her hands.

She was one of the very few even wearing one of the gross/darn things.

[iontheball]

It doesn’t help with those new new water saving flushes that come at the bowl under extreme pressure.

[glimmerman70]

Are they talking about poo particles in the air.

[Baldwin77]

OY !!!

I always have my mini can of Lysol spray in my purse. When I go into a public restroom toilet, I spray, spray, spray - I’m hoping that helps.

Then I spray the seat- heavily.

I have to be really, really desperate to use a public restroom.

Someone (NOT ME) should analyze a port-potty. Any volunteers ?

[shotgun]

Never use the hand blower dryers. They recirculate the air in the restroom.

[ProtectOurFreedom]

Now you are thinking!

[JayAr36]

So this just started with chirona.

How has the human race lasted this long?

Panic and fear. Panic and fear. Panic and fear. We’re all going to die!

[blueunicorn6]

Sung to the tune of Raindrops Keep Falling On My Head

Pee Drops Are Hanging In The Air

Pee drops are hanging in the air
And just like the guy who peed on his shoes and didn’t care
Nothing seems quite dry
Those pee drops keep hanging in the air
They keep hanging

So I just did me some talking to my Son
And I said I didn’t like the way he got things done
Peeing on the walls
Those pee drops are hanging in the air

As long as I can pee
Nothings worrying me e ah e eee.