Oh great, yet another thing to worry about.
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.
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.
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.
I read someplace a good while back that toilets typically spray droplets of, and I quote, “their contents” out to a distance as great as twenty feet when flushed—which means you get a face-full of piss and/or shit-mist every time you pull that trigger. Far as I’m concerned, that’s WAY more disturbing than some damned disease. Col Kurtz, it turns out, was onto something.
- Entries
Life is ways worth living. Living well is a great revenge.
Sometimes one must fight to live well. Actually, and admittedly it’s a weird source, but the Beastie Boys got it. You gotta fight,for your right, to paaaarty.
Or at least BBQ.
“BBQ”
Eastern NC and Texas. I’ll brave any bathroom to get to the chow lines…
I’ve survived truck stop restrooms. I have no fear of mundane public crappers after that.