Study finds Bunsen burners may worsen lab contamination rather than prevent it
Research published in Microbiology Spectrum shows that Bunsen burners do not reduce bacterial particles on lab benches and can even increase contamination.
Scientists have long trusted Bunsen burners to create convection currents that sweep microbes away from laboratory workspaces. To verify this belief, Hannah Gavin and colleagues introduced the orange bacterium Gordonia rubripertincta into the air above lab benches and placed open Petri dishes beside both lit and unlit burners. Across multiple experiments varying burner size and contamination intensity, the dishes near the active flame collected equal or greater numbers of bacteria than those near the inactive burner.
Only when the bacterial load was orders of magnitude above typical lab conditions did the flame appear to reduce settlement. The authors say the study could prompt a reassessment of the burner’s role in modern labs, potentially ending its routine use.
Why it matters
The results question a common lab safety practice, suggesting labs may need new methods to control microbial contamination.
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