Presenter: Andrew Siemens
Faculty Mentor: Jessica Green, Erica Hartmann
Presentation Type: Oral
Primary Research Area: Science
Major: Biology
Funding Source: UO UnderGrEBES Research Grant, University of Oregon Institute of Ecology and Evolution, $500; UO Undergraduate Research Opportunity Grant, UO Undergraduate Research Opportunity Program, $1000
Different light treatments affect the growth of certain bacterial strains in the built environment, however little is known about the effect of light on an entire bacterial community. The goal of this study is to investigate the impact of daylighting, specifically UV vs. visible light, on the viability of the dust microbiome. We collected dust samples and treated them with varying doses of broad-spectrum light. Using a method we developed to quantify the viability of microbes in dust, we determined the amount of DNA from live vs. dead cells by comparing 16S ribosomal gene copy numbers in each sample. The results from broad-spectrum light exposure revealed a decrease in dust viability as the amount of total light exposure increases. Subsequently, the relationship between different wavelengths of light and bacterial viability was tested by subjecting dust samples to sunlight with UV wavelengths removed, sunlight with visible and infrared wavelengths removed, and dark conditions. We achieved a gradient of lighting conditions that will help us determine whether the effect of daylighting on viability is impacted by UV light as compared to visible light. The results from this research could influence the choice of light filtering in windows for buildings such as hospitals where the elimination of pathogens is extremely important.