[Effect of human excrement on the air flora in the vicinity of moving trains].
The use of train lavatories by the passengers during their journey was investigated. Selective samples in Petri dishes were exposed for 1 or 2 minutes at different times against the direction of train motion. The analysis showed that enterobacteria (E. coli, Klebsiella, coliform bacteria, Proteus) and chromogenic bacteria (Pseudomonas, Achromobacter, Pseudomonas aeruginosa) can be verified in addition to yeast fungi, mould, actinomyces and micrococci. The colony count obtained depends on the climatic conditions, the passenger frequency as well as the site and period of exposure. The "air tunnel" formed by the travelling trains must be looked upon as contaminated. I would be advisable for the trains to travel with the windows locked. The intestinal bacteria are little risk to the environment but definitely injurious to the passengers themselves.
D000391:Air Microbiology; D001419:Bacteria / Q000302:isolation & purification; D004755:Enterobacteriaceae / Q000302:isolation & purification; D005243:Feces / Q000382:microbiology*; D005658:Fungi / Q000302:isolation & purification; D006801:Humans; D011634:Public Health; D011890:Railroads; D013045:Species Specificity; D014038:Toilet Facilities
Die Wirkung der Ausscheidung menschlicher Exkremente auf die Luftflora in Nähe fahrender Züge.