Can you imagine the scene of aerosols containing various germs splashing when flushing the toilet? US scientists have used green lasers and camera equipment to reveal how tiny water droplets invisible to the naked eye are quickly ejected into the air when people flush open toilets in public bathrooms. For the first time, the study visualized the aerosol plume generated by toilet flushing and measured its particle splash velocity and diffusion trajectory, revealing the impact of toilet flushing from a new perspective. Previous research has found that some tiny, invisible particles are released into the air when toilets are flushed. These particles transport pathogens such as E. coli, Clostridium difficile, and adenovirus, posing exposure risks to public restroom users. This visualization of potential disease exposures offers new ways to reduce disease transmission. The study found that the particles produced when flushing the toilet are ejected rapidly at a speed of 2 meters per second, and can reach a height of 1.5 meters above the toilet within 8 seconds. While the largest particles tend to settle to the surface of the toilet within seconds, aerosol particles smaller than 5 microns, or millionths of a meter, can remain suspended in the air for minutes or longer.
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