title: Comparing the temporal colonization and microbial diversity of showerhead biofilms in Hawai'i and Colorado.
abstract: The household is a potential source of opportunistic pathogens to humans, a particularly critical issue for immunodeficient individuals. An important human-microbe interface is the biofilm that develops on showerhead surfaces. Once microbe-laden biofilms become aerosolized, they can potentially be inhaled into the lungs. Understanding how quickly a new showerhead becomes colonized would provide useful information to minimize exposure to potentially pathogenic environmental microbes. High school scientists sampled the inner surfaces of pre-existing and newly fitted showerheads monthly over a nine-month period and applied standard microbiologic culture techniques to qualitatively assess microbial growth. Water chemistry was also monitored using commercial test strips. Sampling was performed in households on Oahu, Hawai'i and Denver, Colorado, representing warm/humid and cold/arid environments, respectively. Pre-existing showerheads in Hawai'i showed more diverse microbial growth and significantly greater microbial numbers than a comparable showerhead from Colorado. New, chrome-plated or plastic showerheads in Hawai'i showed diverse and abundant growth one month after installment compared to new showerheads from Colorado. The pH, total chlorine and water hardness levels varied significantly between the Hawai'i and Colorado samples. Enthusiastic student and teacher participation allowed us to answer long-standing questions regarding the temporal colonization of microbial biofilms on pre-existing and new showerhead surfaces.
authors.affiliation: 'Iolani School, Honolulu, Hawai'i 96826, USA.
authors.forename: Jonathan
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Abe
authors.affiliation: Island Pacific Academy, Kapolei, Hawai'i 96707, USA.
authors.forename: Aleena
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Alop-Mabuti
authors.affiliation: Standley Lake High School, Denver, CO 80021, USA.
authors.forename: Peyton
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Burger
authors.affiliation: Island Pacific Academy, Kapolei, Hawai'i 96707, USA.
authors.forename: Jackson
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Button
authors.affiliation: Standley Lake High School, Denver, CO 80021, USA.
authors.forename: Madeline
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Ellsberry
authors.affiliation: Island Pacific Academy, Kapolei, Hawai'i 96707, USA.
authors.forename: Jaycinth
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Hitzeman
authors.affiliation: Standley Lake High School, Denver, CO 80021, USA.
authors.forename: David
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Morgenstern
authors.affiliation: Island Pacific Academy, Kapolei, Hawai'i 96707, USA.
authors.forename: Kasey
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Nunies
authors.affiliation: Standley Lake High School, Denver, CO 80021, USA.
authors.forename: Mara
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Strother
authors.affiliation: National Jewish Health, Denver, CO 80206, USA.
authors.forename: Jared
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Darling-Munson
authors.affiliation: 'Iolani School, Honolulu, Hawai'i 96826, USA.
authors.forename: Yvonne L
authors.initials: YL
authors.lastname: Chan
authors.affiliation: Standley Lake High School, Denver, CO 80021, USA.
authors.forename: Robert
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Cassady
authors.affiliation: Island Pacific Academy, Kapolei, Hawai'i 96707, USA.
authors.forename: Sarah Maile K
authors.initials: SM
authors.lastname: Vasconcellos
authors.affiliation: National Jewish Health, Denver, CO 80206, USA.
authors.forename: Michael D
authors.initials: MD
authors.lastname: Iseman
authors.affiliation: National Jewish Health, Denver, CO 80206, USA Department of Medicine, Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine Division, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, CO 80045, USA Denver Veterans Affairs Medical Center, Denver, CO 80220, USA.
authors.forename: Edward D
authors.initials: ED
authors.lastname: Chan
authors.affiliation: National Jewish Health, Denver, CO 80206, USA Department of Medicine, Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine Division, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, CO 80045, USA Denver Veterans Affairs Medical Center, Denver, CO 80220, USA Jennifer.Honda@ucdenver.edu.
authors.forename: Jennifer R
authors.initials: JR
authors.lastname: Honda
mesh_terms: D001419:Bacteria / Q000254:growth & development* / Q000302:isolation & purification; D001494:Baths; D044822:Biodiversity; D018441:Biofilms / Q000254:growth & development*; D035843:Biomedical Research / Q000193:education / Q000379:methods; D003120:Colorado; D006254:Hawaii; D006794:Household Articles; D006801:Humans; D006813:Humidity; D006863:Hydrogen-Ion Concentration; D012586:Science / Q000193:education; D013334:Students; D013997:Time Factors; D014867:Water / Q000737:chemistry
chemical_list: D014867:Water
keywords: citizen science; environmental health; microbial biofilms; microbiology education; water quality