Antibacterial Property of Essential Oils
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Science Concept & Application
This means that through my experiment, it was established that essential oils had very strong antibacterial properties that were effective enough in preventing bacterial growth on the petri dishes. The bacteria taken from my kitchen sink should have thrived in the incubator's controlled environment, but under a microscope there was leukemia—no development of bacterial colonies. That means the leading role of essential oils was to eliminate the bacteria. That was expected since in the absence of competition created by other bacteria, mold should have appeared; however, none appeared during the course of observation, which is further supportive of the fact that the essential oils keep sterility.
These findings are supportive of previous works identifying modes of antibacterial activity the essential oils act through, which include disrupting bacterial membranes and inhibition of the proliferation of microbes. However, despite a promising role of essential oils as natural disinfectants, some limitations have restricted their wider use both commercially and medicinally. Such factors as inconsistency in their composition, their slower action compared to chemical disinfectants, possible safety issues, and shorter period of storage decrease their application. Although in some specific cases, essential oils can be used, generally they cannot be practical alternatives to common disinfectants. This experiment gave insight into some of the ways essential oils might influence microbial environments due to their antibacterial properties. The results of this study points out that essential oils may be a natural and promising way to reduce bacterial contamination, but any consideration of practicality in everyday disinfection should be based on their limitations. Further research would be warranted on how to enhance the stability and efficacy of the essential oils to make them viably usable as an antimicrobial agent. |
Career
One career you can go into is microbiology. Microbiologists are scientists who study microorganisms, which include bacteria, viruses, fungi, and parasites. Their work is vital to understanding how these tiny organisms affect human health, the environment, and other living organisms. By conducting experiments and analyzing microbial vaccines. They also play an essential role in researching things like antibiotic resistance, food safety, and environmental microbiology, ensuring public health and ecological balance are maintained.
Microbiologists contribute to a large number of industries, such as agriculture, biotechnology, and environmental science. They can also be involved in the development of genetically modified crops, bioremediation techniques to clean up pollutants, or innovations in renewable energy. Microbiologists typically work in laboratories, universities, pharmaceutical companies, and governmental agencies. They also collaborate with other researchers and health professionals to talk about complex biological challenges they have found in their research that they have and haven’t overcome in their research. Scientist
John James Mekalanos is a scientist and the Adele Lehman Professor of the Department of Microbiology and Immunology at Harvard Medical School. John James Mekalanos is a renowned microbiologist mainly known for his research on bacterial pathogenesis, particularly Vibrio cholerae, the causative agent of cholera. His work showed what genes were responsible for cholera toxin production, which shedding light on the molecular mechanisms behind the disease.
He also contributed to the understanding of bacterial communication through quorum sensing, a process that regulates virulence and antibiotic resistance in pathogens. Throughout most of his career, he held a position at Harvard Medical School, where he helped shape the field of microbiology and mentored many future scientists. His research on bacterial genomics and virulence has paved the way for new therapeutic approaches, including vaccines and antimicrobial drugs, and has greatly advanced our understanding of infectious diseases. |
Essay
I predict that many of the essential oils I'll be working with will stop bacterial growth. I will use Oregano, Lemongrass, Peppermint, Lavender, Tea Tree, Neem, Clove, Cinnamon, Frankincense, and Myrrh. They all possess very strong antibacterial properties that prevent bacteria from reproducing, but in my experiment, I am testing which one of them has more antibacterial properties. I feel these essential oils not only will kill the bacteria where the oils were placed but will also provide an area of inhibition, decreasing the amount of bacteria in the surrounding area. Yet, I also expect to still see bacteria growth in the non-treated areas. The bacteria that I will be using are taken from my sink in my family kitchen.
I am very interested in observing whether placing bacteria in a sterile environment will lead to mold growth. My hope is that, in the absence of bacterial competition, mold will have the opportunity to thrive and develop more visibly to make it easier to show my experiment. This part of the experiment will explain how various microorganisms interact when exposed to essential oils, and whether bacterial elimination creates conditions that favor mold. By conducting this experiment, I will learn more about the modes of antibacterial effects that these essential oils exert.
Essential oils have recently gained much attention for their natural properties and amazing essential scents. Normally, the mechanism by which essential oils exert their effectiveness against bacteria lies in many points. In more detail, an attack on a bacterial cellular membrane is one of the most main ways that acts against bacteria; for example, thymol from thyme oil and oregano from oregano oil have the ability to combine with bacterial membranes, changing integrity and leading to leakage of the cytoplasm.
I will use an egg incubator for creating a sterile, dark, and heated environment that is favorable for mold to grow. Set the incubator to 93.6° F. My research indicated between 40°F and 140°F was the best temperature range for mold growth, so I set it right in the middle. In the video I watched, the lady did the same experiment; however, she used an insulated bag and a heating lamp for her heated sterile environment.
Day one of observation, dated February 2nd, showed no visible signs of mold growth or reaction to the essential oils. The same results happened on the second day as well, with no noticeable changes in the bacteria. My research showed that mold could take anywhere from two to six days to appear, so I continued to observe my samples daily. I also learned that the least exposure to light is necessary to keep the environment ideal for mold growth, so the incubator was kept in a dark environment for most of the time; it only had an exposure with the light when I checked on it and at the time in which I videoed it.
On the third day, I analyzed if there had been any change in the conditions of the petri dishes. I closely examined the petri dishes. I was expecting at least some indications of bacterial growth, but still, nothing visible appeared. I wanted to investigate further, so I took my dad's handheld microscope to take a closer look if there are any living organisms present in the petri dishes. I carefully observed the samples under the microscope; I found that there were absolutely no signs of bacterial colonies or any other living organisms in the petri dishes.
That just leaves me with two options: either the essential oils had actually killed the bacteria or I didn't transfer enough bacteria into the petri dishes to begin with. I put a penny of bacteria in the petri dishes at the start of the experiment, as one could have seen in the video. Therefore, all in all, the essentials did their magic, and hence my experiment turned out to be successful.
These results, from my experiment, indeed indicate that essential oils may contain antibacterial properties and tend to prevent the growth of the bacteria. Such a phenomenon develops the concept of using essential oil as a plant-based alternative for chemical disinfection. The chemicals generally used in disinfection are ethanol-ethanol, hydrogen peroxide, quaternary ammonium compounds-quats, and phenolic compounds aldehydes.
So why, after knowing this, do we not use essential oils as a disinfectant? In my findings, I found some reasons why we don't hear these are some examples: lack of consistency and standardization. Slower and less potent action against antimicrobial agents, narrow spectrum of effectiveness. Safety Factors: because many essential oils are highly concentrated and may irritate the skin, cause allergic reactions, or create respiratory problems; cost and availability; stability and shelf life. With increased exposure to heat, light, or air over time, the potency of essential oils is usually degraded. Disinfecting chemicals like bleach or alcohol-based solutions have a longer shelf life and remain stable over long periods.
I am very interested in observing whether placing bacteria in a sterile environment will lead to mold growth. My hope is that, in the absence of bacterial competition, mold will have the opportunity to thrive and develop more visibly to make it easier to show my experiment. This part of the experiment will explain how various microorganisms interact when exposed to essential oils, and whether bacterial elimination creates conditions that favor mold. By conducting this experiment, I will learn more about the modes of antibacterial effects that these essential oils exert.
Essential oils have recently gained much attention for their natural properties and amazing essential scents. Normally, the mechanism by which essential oils exert their effectiveness against bacteria lies in many points. In more detail, an attack on a bacterial cellular membrane is one of the most main ways that acts against bacteria; for example, thymol from thyme oil and oregano from oregano oil have the ability to combine with bacterial membranes, changing integrity and leading to leakage of the cytoplasm.
I will use an egg incubator for creating a sterile, dark, and heated environment that is favorable for mold to grow. Set the incubator to 93.6° F. My research indicated between 40°F and 140°F was the best temperature range for mold growth, so I set it right in the middle. In the video I watched, the lady did the same experiment; however, she used an insulated bag and a heating lamp for her heated sterile environment.
Day one of observation, dated February 2nd, showed no visible signs of mold growth or reaction to the essential oils. The same results happened on the second day as well, with no noticeable changes in the bacteria. My research showed that mold could take anywhere from two to six days to appear, so I continued to observe my samples daily. I also learned that the least exposure to light is necessary to keep the environment ideal for mold growth, so the incubator was kept in a dark environment for most of the time; it only had an exposure with the light when I checked on it and at the time in which I videoed it.
On the third day, I analyzed if there had been any change in the conditions of the petri dishes. I closely examined the petri dishes. I was expecting at least some indications of bacterial growth, but still, nothing visible appeared. I wanted to investigate further, so I took my dad's handheld microscope to take a closer look if there are any living organisms present in the petri dishes. I carefully observed the samples under the microscope; I found that there were absolutely no signs of bacterial colonies or any other living organisms in the petri dishes.
That just leaves me with two options: either the essential oils had actually killed the bacteria or I didn't transfer enough bacteria into the petri dishes to begin with. I put a penny of bacteria in the petri dishes at the start of the experiment, as one could have seen in the video. Therefore, all in all, the essentials did their magic, and hence my experiment turned out to be successful.
These results, from my experiment, indeed indicate that essential oils may contain antibacterial properties and tend to prevent the growth of the bacteria. Such a phenomenon develops the concept of using essential oil as a plant-based alternative for chemical disinfection. The chemicals generally used in disinfection are ethanol-ethanol, hydrogen peroxide, quaternary ammonium compounds-quats, and phenolic compounds aldehydes.
So why, after knowing this, do we not use essential oils as a disinfectant? In my findings, I found some reasons why we don't hear these are some examples: lack of consistency and standardization. Slower and less potent action against antimicrobial agents, narrow spectrum of effectiveness. Safety Factors: because many essential oils are highly concentrated and may irritate the skin, cause allergic reactions, or create respiratory problems; cost and availability; stability and shelf life. With increased exposure to heat, light, or air over time, the potency of essential oils is usually degraded. Disinfecting chemicals like bleach or alcohol-based solutions have a longer shelf life and remain stable over long periods.
