Biology A2 Coursework 2 1st Draft Essay

Submitted By shaxpat
Words: 2772
Pages: 12

Aim: -
A study experiment to find out how the concentration of disinfectants can affect different bacteria. This experiment is carried out using different concentrations of Dettol disinfectant.
Abstract: -
The main aim of the investigation was to find out how the effect of different Dettol concentrations had an effect on E.coli and Bacillus cereus. Bacteria and microorganisms are all around us. Most of them are harmless to humans. Some help us in digesting our food while others make people sick. This is why disinfectants like Dettol should be used regularly to reduce the growth of these harmful bacteria. However, disinfectant overuse leads to bacteria resistance, where by the bacteria develops protection towards the disinfectant and makes it futile in killing the bacteria. The experiment showed how much inhibition zone without the bacteria growth there was after the agar plate was covered with the bacteria and the discs dipped into different Dettol concentrations. The results had showed that the higher the concentration of the Dettol disinfectant the wider the Diameter of the area around the filter paper disc without bacteria growth.
Research and Rationale: -
Bacteria are small, single cell organisms that are big enough to see under a microscope. There are many different types of bacteria everywhere. The two particular bacteria I looked at was E.coli and Bacillus cereus. E.coli (Escherichia coli), it is a common type of bacteria, which normally lives inside your body in the intestine, where it helps the body break down and digest the food. However some E.coli can manage to get from the intestine to the blood of the body. This is a rare illness but can cause very bad and serious infection. Some symptoms of having E.coli in your blood is bad stomach ache, cramps, vomiting, diarrhoea etc.

In order to prevent Getting E.coli one has to avoid eating high-risk foods,
Especially undercooked ground beef, unpasteurized milk or juice, soft cheeses made from unpasteurized milk, or alfalfa sprouts. Use a food thermometer to make sure that ground beef has reached a safe internal temperature of 160° F. Wash hands before preparing food, after diapering infants, and after contact with cows, sheep, or goats, their food or treats, or their living environment.
Dettol - is the trade name for a line of hygiene products, Dettol liquid antiseptic is normally light yellow in colour; but, as several of the ingredients in Dettol antiseptic are insoluble in water, it produces a white-coloured milky emulsion of oil droplets when diluted with water during use, exhibiting the ouzo effect. The active ingredient in Dettol that confers its antiseptic property is chloroxylenol (C8H9ClO), an aromatic chemical compound. Chloroxylenol comprises 4.8% of Dettol's total mixture, with the rest composed of pine oil, isopropanol, castor oil soap, caramel and water. The main ingredient in Dettol which makes it a disinfectant chloroxylenol, this acts to kill germs and reduce Inflammation.

The next main ingredient is Isopropyl alcohol, has antiseptic effects which gives Dettol the ability to kill bacteria and fungi, another ingredient is also pine oil, when pine oil is diluted in water it emulsifies, or forms a cloudy liquid. This cloudiness also occurs when Dettol is diluted. Pine oil has antiseptic and disinfectant properties and a distinct aroma that characterizes Dettol and other products made with pine oil. Castor Oil Soap, Caramel and water are the other ingredients in Dettol. Dettol originated in 1929, Hull-based manufacturer, Albert Reckitt, of Reckitt & Sons Ltd., began research into developing an antiseptic disinfectant along with Bacteriologist, Dr. W.C. Reynolds. Together they developed Dettol Antiseptic Disinfectant Liquid.
Medical values of Dettol is that, Dettol in many different ways and situations it helps us,
In First Aid – if diluted in water and applied on the skin, it treats cuts, wounds, grazes and bites.
In Household – It works as a