Scientists filmed the liquid particles that flew out of the toilet bowl after flushing it. Such droplets are invisible to humans, so they used lasers to make them visible. These droplets can contain dangerous pathogens such as E. coli, norovirus and coronavirus.
AFTER CLOSING THE DOOR, SIPHONE
If your parents always told you to close the toilet lid before flushing, the gruesome new video shows they were really right. Images taken by scientists from the University of Colorado Boulder show small droplets of liquid that are violently flushed out of the toilet after flushing. These liquid droplets are often invisible to the naked eye, so the researchers used bright green lasers in the lab to make them visible.
DISEASE SPREADS
Images were taken in a safe laboratory simulation. Under normal conditions, the droplets gushing out of any toilet bowl can contain dangerous pathogens such as E. coli, norovirus and possibly even coronavirus.
The researchers found that the particles could fly at 2 meters per second, reaching 1.5 meters above the toilet in eight seconds. The largest droplets settled on surfaces within seconds, while the smaller and therefore lighter particles remained suspended in the air for several minutes.
SMALL DROPS ARE MORE DANGEROUS
Smaller particles not only float in the air longer, but can also escape from the nose hairs and reach deeper into the lungs.
Previous research has shown that the virus that causes Covid (SARS-CoV-2) is present in human faeces, although there is no conclusive evidence yet that it is effectively spread via toilet aerosols.
Researchers have known for over 60 years that invisible particles are released into the air when the toilet is flushed, but the new study shows what these particles look like and how they land on surfaces.