Author: Madhura Nagaraju
Nagaraju, Madhura, 2024 Developing an environmentally friendly deodorizer and disinfectant for use in recreational vehicle toilets to protect septic tank and dump sites , Flinders University, College of Medicine and Public Health
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Outdoor recreation is one of the fastest growing sectors in the world which accounts for up to $11 billion in national GDP with over 900,000 recreational vehicle registrations in Australia. The wastewater generated by these recreational vehicles, may contain Salmonella, a pathogen that causes salmonellosis, a gastrointestinal disease with symptoms such as diarrhoea, fever, and abdominal cramps. Therefore, the wastewater in recreational vehicles is treated with disinfectants, surfactants, and deodorizers to minimize the microbial load of the water and to protect the environment around wastewater disposal sites such as septic tanks and dump sites. However, due to the unknown concentrations of the disinfectants used, their toxicity often remains undetermined.
In this study, we evaluated the susceptibility of Salmonella typhimurium to a number of disinfectants such as Aqua Kem Blue, Portasol and limonene, an environmentally friendly disinfectant and deodorizer extracted from navel oranges. The minimum inhibitory concentrations of disinfectant were determined by using a Spectrophotometer and comparing the growth curves of Salmonella typhimurium to sterile control and a growth control. Aqua Kem Blue and Portasol showed toxicity towards Salmonella typhimurium at all concentrations from 0.2% to 100%; however, commercial Limonene extract showed toxicity at full strength, but its toxicity was reduced on further dilution.
Keywords: recreational vehicles, limonene, salmonella typhimurium
Subject: Biotechnology thesis
Thesis type: Masters
Completed: 2024
School: College of Medicine and Public Health
Supervisor: Kirstin Ross