Microbes in mascara: hypothesis-driven research in a nonmajor biology lab

Isolation and Identification of Microorganisms associated with high-quality and low-quality cosmetics from different brands in Mecca region -Saudi Arabia

Cosmetic products contain several components that are ideal for microbial growth, they exposed to contamination by pathogenic bacteria and fungi, and this may cause health risks such as skin and eye infections. In this investigation, 50 samples were obtained from various shops in Mecca region, Saudi Arabia. Collected samples include high-quality and low-quality brands of makeup. Results show that most cosmetics are contaminated with microorganisms. Bacterial and fungal isolates were identified by morphological and microscopic techniques, and confirmed by molecular methods: (16s rRNA) for bacterial isolates and (18s rRNA) for fungal isolates associated with cosmetics. In low-quality cosmetics, frequency of microbial growth is higher and more diverse than high-quality cosmetics. It has been observed the most contaminated product was in lip gloss and it follows by the lipstick. The most predominant species of bacteria are Staphylococcus aureus (27 %), E. coli (27 %), which follows by Streptococcus pneumonia (18 %), Staphylococcus epidermis (17 %), Bacilli subtilis (12 %), and Pseudomonas aeruginosa (5 %). Aspergillus sp is the most predominant fungi (57 %), which is followed by Penicillium sp. (29 %) and Rhizopus sp. (14 %). In high quality brands, the frequency of microbial growth was the highest in mascara, lip-gloss. The most predominant species of bacteria is Staphylococcus aureus (41 %), which follows by Bacilli subtilis and Pseudomonas aeruginosa and E. coli (17 %). Streptococcus pneumonia is the less dominant (5 %). There is no growth on media of fungi. Due to the large number of cosmetics brands in Mecca region and for consumer safety, this study is prepared.

Microbes Should Be Central to Ecological Education and Outreach

Our planet is changing rapidly, and responding to the ensuing environmental challenges will require an informed citizenry that can understand the inherent complexity of ecological systems. However, microorganisms are usually neglected in the narratives that we use to understand nature. Here, we advocate for the inclusion of microbial ecology across education levels and delineate the often neglected benefits of incorporating microbes into ecology curricula. We provide examples across education levels, from secondary school (by considering one's self as a microbial ecosystem), to higher education (by incorporating our knowledge of the global ecological role and medical application of microbes), to the general public (by engagement through citizen-science projects). The greater inclusion of microbes in ecological education and outreach will not only help us appreciate the natural world we are part of, but will ultimately aid in building a citizenry better prepared to make informed decisions on health and environmental policies.

Color-removal by microorganisms isolated from human hands

Microorganisms are essential for human life. Microorganisms decompose the carbon compounds in dead animals and plants and convert them into carbon dioxide. Intestinal bacteria assist in food digestion. Some vitamins are produced by bacteria that live in the intestines. Sewage and industrial wastewater are treated by activated sludge composed of microbial communities. All of these are due to the ability of microbes to produce many enzymes that can degrade chemicals. How do teachers make students understand that microorganisms are always associated with humans, and that microorganisms have the ability to degrade chemicals? The presence of microorganisms on humans can be shown by incubating agar plates after they are touched by the hands of students. The ability of microorganisms to degrade chemicals can be shown by an analytical measurement of the degradation of chemicals. When the chemicals are dyes (colorants) in water, microbial activity on degradation of dyes can be demonstrated by observing a decreasing degree of color as a result of the enzymatic activity (e.g., azoreductase). Dyes are widely used in the textile, food, and cosmetic industries. They are generally resistant to conventional biological wastewater treatment systems such as the activated sludge process (4). The discharge of wastewater containing dye pollutes surface water. The ability of microorganisms to decolorize and degrade dyes has been widely investigated to use for bioremediation purposes (5). The goal of this tip is to understand the presence of bacteria on human skin and the ability of bacteria to degrade colorant chemicals (decolorization). In this tip, students first cultivate and isolate bacteria on their hands, and then examine potential decolorization activity of each bacterium by observing the degree of color of the liquid in tubes in which bacteria isolated from students’ hands were inoculated. Decolorization activity of bacterial isolates from human skin has been reported recently (6). To date this author has frequently obtained colorant-degrading bacterial isolates from human hands as a result of work on a scientific education project. This tip does not require analytical measurements. Students can examine a number of bacterial isolates simultaneously. Therefore, it is appropriate for high school and introductory level college courses.