AAAR 34th Annual Conference
October 12 - October 16, 2015
Hyatt Regency
Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA
Abstract View
Particle Tracking Velocimetry Analysis of Flow Patterns in Showers
Carlos Estrada, Michal Ziv-El, Yassin Hassan, Kerry Kinney, MARIA D. KING, Texas A&M University
Abstract Number: 52 Working Group: Indoor Aerosols
Abstract The objective of this study is to determine the source and delineate potential human allergens and pathogens in the bioaerosols that are released during showering and potentially form a biofilm on surfaces. We are currently analyzing the microorganisms that naturally colonize residential water systems and showers as a function of key parameters (water flow rate, showerhead design). Initial results show significant difference in diversity in the bioaerosol and biofilm microbiome between different (one low-flow and one high-flow) showerheads in the occupied shower unit, indicating that the showerhead pattern and flow rate contribute significantly to the microbial community.
To analyze the differences in the water flow pattern of the shower units and its effect on the bioaerosol and biofilm composition Particle Imaging/Tracking Velocimetry (PIV/PTV) has been used. The experimental double shower stall that is set up in a full‐scale bioaerosol chamber with two different showerheads and two identical mannequins on each side was actuated daily for 20 min to model routine shower events. Periodic (weekly for eight weeks then once a month) sampling was performed in the experimental shower units. Bioaerosol samples were collected before, during and after shower operation with a high throughput (100 L/min) wetted wall cyclone (WWC). Biofilm (from showerhead, shower stall walls and floor) and tap water samples were collected. Parallel with the PIV/PTV experiments, DNA was extracted from the bioaerosol and biofilm samples and analyzed by Illumina metagenomics analysis.
The results for the two different showerheads show significant difference in liquid flow patterns and diversity in bioaerosol and biofilm microbiome, indicating that the showerhead design and flow rate contribute significantly to the microbial community in shower stalls.
This study provides new insight into the risks of bioaerosol exposure due to changes in liquid flow patterns affecting the re-aerosolization and deposition of microbes in the shower biofilms.