Bacterial pathways for water contamination, asking resident microbiologist

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SUMMARY

This discussion focuses on the potential for nitrifying bacteria to contaminate sterile aqueous solutions via airborne pathways. The experiment involves a sterile glass beaker filled with distilled water, left open in a room with circulating air for one month. It concludes that while traditional understanding suggests nitrifying bacteria cannot survive airborne transfer due to their non-spore-forming nature, the possibility of airborne contamination remains a topic of interest, particularly regarding their presence in biofilms or as part of microbial communities in aquatic environments.

PREREQUISITES
  • Understanding of nitrifying bacteria and their ecological roles
  • Knowledge of microbial contamination pathways
  • Familiarity with sterile techniques in microbiology
  • Basic principles of air circulation and its effects on microbial transfer
NEXT STEPS
  • Research the survival mechanisms of nitrifying bacteria in non-spore forms
  • Explore studies on airborne microbial contamination in laboratory settings
  • Investigate the formation and role of biofilms in aquatic environments
  • Learn about the effects of air circulation on microbial ecology in open systems
USEFUL FOR

Microbiologists, environmental scientists, and researchers studying microbial contamination in aquatic systems will benefit from this discussion.

brandon429
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Virtual experiment, please explain regarding nitrifying bacteria in aqueous solutions, how they transfer in air currents even though they aren't spore formers:

Sterile glass beaker and sterilized, distilled water sets in a biology lab on the counter with no lid. Microbe count is zero so far.

No direct physical transfer of contaminants occur. Say you left the container opened in a room with circulating outside air via AC, no special positive air pressure provisions for a month. There is sufficient fluid to account for evap and still leave fluid for testing.

Prediction: what kind of microbes will be present, how will sterility be affected, and can any of the biofilm/bacteria in the sample be comprised of nitrifying bacteria that traveled the airborne contamination route?
 
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I was told nitrifying bacteria from various ecologies can only cross waterways via physical transfer, they desiccate in the air if attached to suspended dirt particles and they aren't spore formers to xfer that way, but this seems limiting for such a cornerstone organism. I want to know if there is -any- airborne contamination pathway for specifically the nitrifying bacteria in marine or freshwater species.