Immaculate Heart Of Mary College

Better Living Subdivision, Paraaque City

SY: 2011-2012

Efficiency of Ethyl Alcohol in treating fungi growth

in white cheese

IN PARTIAL FULLFILLMENT OF THE REQUIREMENTS

IN GENERAL SCIENCE
Submitted by:
Camille Battung
Yra Dorotheo
Angeline Paraiso
Jescillelu Lomibao
Jermie Bias
Group No. 4

Abstract:
The main objective of this investigation is to know if ethyl alcohol really is
effective in disinfecting bacteria especially fungi. The study has been investigated by
using pieces of cheese as culture medium wherein the molds can be tested. Since
molds are kind of fungi, it is an idea that this can be used to know whether ethyl alcohol
is helpful when it comes in treating skin diseases due to bacteria in parts of our human
body. In this investigation, two pieces of white cheese has been soaked in tap water,
waited until molds have fully grown in it. Ten punched papers were soaked in water on
the first cheese and another 10 punched papers on the second cheese. It is to know
test whether ethyl alcohol can make molds disappear or it could just lessen its growth.
Applying ethyl alcohol cant make molds disappear it can only stop it from growing or
spreading. In that case, it cant completely remove the bacteria of fungi but instead it
can prevent it to worsen. We therefore concluded that we can use ethyl alcohol to
prevent and clean fungi growth in our body but not to cure it.
An Introduction:
Several alcohols have been shown to be effective antimicrobials, ethyl alcohol,
isopropyl alcohol and n-propanol are the most widely used. Alcohols exhibit rapid broadspectrum antimicrobial activity against vegetative bacteria, viruses, and fungi but are not
sporicidal. Common skin diseases we could get from fungi are athletes foot (tinea
pedis), jock itch, ringworm and yeast infections. And alcohol, a disinfectant is a
substance that is applied to non-living objects to destroy microorganisms that are living
on the objects. Disinfection does not necessarily kill all microorganisms, especially
nonresistant bacterial spores; it is less effective than sterilization, which is an extreme
physical and/or chemical process that kills all types of life. The main purpose of our
study is to know how to stop and cure fungi on different substances or even parts of the
human body since molds is a kind of fungi.

Significance of the study:

This investigation aims to verify the use of ethyl alcohol as a disinfectant on our
body. We believe that every study deserves a verification to ensure the validity of the
study.
Scope and limitations:
This study includes the treatment for fungi infections and how to stop it from
growing and excludes the application of ethyl alcohol on different kinds of fungal
infections.
Review and Related Literature:
Fungal infections are more common today than ever before. There are many
reasons for this. Athlete's foot is a fungal skin infection. It appears on feet and usually
starts between the toes. It's not dangerous, but some of its symptoms, like itching, can
be very annoying. Getting athlete's foot is quite easy to cure, since it's nothing more
than a bacterium, a fungus. Many antifungal medicines can cure it. Jock Itch is a
common fungal infection of the groin and upper thighs. It's part of a group of fungal skin
infections called tinea, if jock itch is severe and doesn't respond to over-the-counter
medicine, you may need a prescription-strength topical or oral medication, this may
include econazole and oxiconazole etc. Ringworm is a skin infection that is caused by a
fungus. Naturasil is a Guaranteed Ringworm Treatment which uses natural plant
extracts to penetrate and cure ringworm including the scalp area. Naturasil's natural
ringworm cure is a 100% natural homeopathic treatment to treat ringworm (Tinea
Corporis) fungus within 4-7 days of treatment. Naturasil plant extracts absorb into the
skin to kill the ringworm fungi (dermatophytes) immediately. Most women have a

vaginal yeast infection at some time. Candida albicans is a common type of

fungus. It is often found in small amounts in the vagina, mouth, digestive tract,
and on the skin. Usually it does not cause disease or symptoms. Medications to
treat vaginal yeast infections are available in either creams or suppositories. Most can
be bought without a prescription. This includes, Miconazole, Clotrimazole, Tioconazole
and Butoconazole.
"Alcohol" is a generic name for large group of organic chemical compounds.
They all are derivatives of hydrocarbons in which one or more of the hydrogen atoms
have been replace by a hydroxyl (-OH) functional group. Hydrocarbons are compounds
with contain hydrogen (H) and carbon (C) only. The hydroxyl group imparts particular
properties to the radical to which it is attached. Alcohols are named according to the
radical to which the OH group is attached. For example if the OH group is attached to
the methyl radical CH3 so that the compound is CH3OH, then one has methyl alcohol. If
it is attached to the ethyl (C2H5) radical then one has ethyl alcohol (CH 3CH2OH) - the
alcohol we consume in beverages.. The general formula for alcohol is ROH, where R
signifies a hydrocarbon radical attached to an -OH group
Ethyl alcohol, also commonly referred to as ethanol, is a colorless liquid that has
many uses. Aside from being the most common type of alcohol found in alcoholic
beverages and certain recreational drugs, it is often used in medicine as an antidote to
combat the effects of other types of drugs or alcohol. Since it is considered a volatile
chemical, it should only be used with the supervision of a doctor. More modern uses
for ethyl alcohol include using it for antiseptic purposes, most commonly in antiseptic
wipes and hand sanitizers. It is effective at killing most bacteria, fungi, and many viruses
on the hands and skin and is a useful alternative to hand soaps. Medical professionals
often use gel sanitizers before treating patients to prevent the spread of harmful
bacteria.
Reference
http://www.wikipedia.org

Methodology:
A. Preparation of materials:
Two pieces of white cheese, liter of tap water, two tupperwares, 10 punched
papers soaked in tap water, 10 punched papers soaked in ethyl alcohol were placed at
the top of the table.
B. Culturing of molds on both pieces of white cheese
Two pieces of white cheese was placed in a separate tupperware. Pieces of
cheese were soaked in liter of tap water for 5 days, so that the molds would cover the
whole piece of cheese.
C. Preparation of the punched papers
1 clean short bond paper and a puncher were used in punching 20 pieces of
punched papers. 10 punched papers were soaked in 10mL of ethyl alcohol and the
other 10 was soaked in 10mL of tap water. Ethyl alcohol was also used in disinfecting
the puncher.
E. Application of the punched papers
The students wore gloves in applying the punched papers on the pieces of
cheese covered with molds. The punched papers were scattered throughout the
cheese.

F. Observing the cheese covered with molds

Observations about the two pieces of cheese covered with molds were gathered
from the first day until the sixth. Counting the number of punched papers covered with
molds on each cheese was used in measuring the molds.

Results:
Set-up A:
Punched papers soaked in water covered with molds
Days:

No. of punched papers covered with

molds
7 punched papers
7 punched papers
9 punched papers
10 punched papers
10 punched papers
10 punched papers

Day 1
Day 2
Day 3
Day 4
Day 5
Day 6
Set-up B:

Punched papers soaked in ethyl alcohol covered with molds

Days:
Day 1
Day 2
Day 3
Day 4
Day 5
Day 6

Pictures of

No. of punched papers covered with

molds
6 punched papers
6 punched papers
6 punched papers
6 punched papers
6 punched papers
6 punched papers

Results:

Day 1

Day

Day 5

Conclusion:

From the result, white cheese covered with molds where 10 punched papers
soaked in ethyl alcohol was we therefore conclude that ethyl alcohol cant make molds
disappear, it can only stop it from growing/spreading and in that case, ethyl alcohol can
be used to prevent and clean fungi growth in our body but it cant cure it. Ethyl alcohol
cant completely remove the bacteria of fungi but instead it can prevent it to worsen, Our
hypothesis was rejected.
Recommendations:
We recommend to the people who are suffering from any kind of fungi infection to
prefer ethyl alcohol in cleaning the part of their body suffering from any king of fungal
infection. But before theyll apply it on that infected part, we recommend them to consult
a doctor first because if not, problems may occur or skin diseases may worsen. They
could only clean their infection with a proper consultation from a dermatologist.

Acknowledgement:

We would like to thank the following persons who helped us in doing our Investigatory
Project:
-Mr. Diosdado Battung, Mrs. Adeline Battung, Dr. E. Ulysses Dorotheo, Mrs. Rosa
Lynda Dorotheo, Mr. and Mrs. Paraiso, Mr. and Mrs. Lomibao and Mr. and Mrs. Bias
for the financial support and the moral support that they showed while their child is
doing the Investigatory Project.
-Mrs. Rosa Lynda Dorotheo, Editha Agosto and Mercedes Cao for providing us the
place where we could make the write-up and powerpoint presentation for our I.P
-Francis Paul Battung for helping us in culturing molds in the cheese.
-Joshua Eldrick Cao for sharing some of his knowledge in microbiology with us.
-Mr. Diosdado Battung for sharing informations to us about molds and fungi.
-Ms. Rubby Comprendio for telling us the things to do in our I.P and teaching us some
informations that we dont know related to our study in our Investigatory Project.
-Most especially, we would like to thank God for always guiding us in doing our I.P and
without Him we know that well not be able to accomplish the things that we need to
accomplish. We would also like to thank Him for giving us strength and for not letting us
give-up in finishing our project.