ABSTRACT

This study is aimed at checking the biosafety of certain brands of cotton buds and baby diapers. Cotton buds (British) or cotton swabs (American) consists of a small wad of cotton wrapped around one or both ends of a short rod usually made of either wood, rolled paper or plastic. Cotton is a major component of the cottons buds just as the name implies. A diaper (American English) or a nappy (Australian English and British English) is a type of wider wear that allows the use of a toilet, by absorbing or containing waste products to prevent soiling of the outer clothing or the external environment. The cotton buds samples used for this study were obtained from different supermarket in Umudike area. Five different brands of cotton bud were purchased and labelled as Sample A, sample B, sample C, Sample D and Sample E. A total of 45 cotton buds were analyzed. 7 cotton buds from each brand. The baby diaper samples used for this study were gotten from different supermarkets in Umudike area. Five different packs of baby diapers were purchased and labelled as Sample A, Sample B, and Sample C, Sample D and Sample E. A total of 5 baby diapers were analyzed. 1 diapers from each pack. The methods used include Gram Staining and biochemical tests conducted are as follows, Coagulase test, catalase test, oxidase test etc. For fungal identification, Lac to phenol cotton blue stain was used. A total of twenty (20) microorganisms were isolated from commonly used cotton buds and baby diapers, commonly used cotton buds has higher numbers of positive microbial isolate of eleven ( 11), while baby diapers has nine (9) numbers of positive isolate microorganisms respectively. Out of five brands of commonly used cotton buds and baby diapers analyzed. Staphylococcus aureus has the highest frequency number of 5(25.0%) isolate, followed by Escherichia coli and Aspergillus flavus with frequency number of 4(20.0%) each while Aspergillus Niger and Staphylococcus epidemid has least frequency number of 1(5.0%) each respectively. Having examined the biosafety of commonly used cotton buds and baby diapers, it is therefore imperative to initiate awareness programs aimed at sensitizing the public on the dangers of using cotton buds to clean the ear and as well, the health benefit of using wipes instead of tissue papers or pieces after every change of diaper, as baby wipes are always baked in alcohol, making a sort of sanitizer to the baby's skin. They should also be educated on the correct and safe methods that should be employed in cleaning the ear.