{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2026,10,6]],"date-time":"2026-10-06T13:57:35Z","timestamp":1791295055853,"version":"4.1.0"},"reference-count":35,"publisher":"American Society for Microbiology","issue":"10","license":[{"start":{"date-parts":[[2026,10,6]],"date-time":"2026-10-06T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1791244800000},"content-version":"vor","delay-in-days":0,"URL":"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by\/4.0\/"},{"start":{"date-parts":[[2026,10,6]],"date-time":"2026-10-06T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1791244800000},"content-version":"tdm","delay-in-days":0,"URL":"https:\/\/journals.asm.org\/non-commercial-tdm-license"}],"funder":[{"name":"Providence College School of Nursing and Health Sciences Dean's Accellerator Grant","award":["HEG2025"],"award-info":[{"award-number":["HEG2025"]}],"id":[{"id":"https:\/\/ror.org\/00rxpqe74","id-type":"ROR","asserted-by":"crossref"}]},{"name":"Providence College Summer Undergraduate Research and Creative Grant","award":["KD2025"],"award-info":[{"award-number":["KD2025"]}],"id":[{"id":"https:\/\/ror.org\/00rxpqe74","id-type":"ROR","asserted-by":"crossref"}]},{"name":"RI-INBRE","award":["P20GM103430"],"award-info":[{"award-number":["P20GM103430"]}]}],"content-domain":{"domain":["journals.asm.org"],"crossmark-restriction":true},"short-container-title":["Microbiol Spectr"],"published-print":{"date-parts":[[2026,10,6]]},"abstract":"<jats:title>ABSTRACT<\/jats:title>\n                  <jats:sec>\n                    <jats:title\/>\n                    <jats:p>Microbiologists often use Bunsen burners to reduce airborne microbial contamination in their workspace. In theory, the burner\u2019s flame pushes air\u2014and the microbe-containing particles therein\u2014up and away from research materials. This is purported to create a disinfected zone that improves asepsis. While such use of a Bunsen burner is promoted in numerous textbooks, peer-reviewed publications, and university-affiliated websites, our search for data on Bunsen burner efficacy revealed a dearth of experimental evidence in scientific literature. Therefore, we designed and conducted a series of laboratory experiments to test the utility of this method, hypothesizing that the flame would reduce airborne contamination. We intentionally inoculated the air in a laboratory space with bacteria, then collected data on the deposition of airborne contaminants using a paired settle plate method. On average, plates adjacent to an active Bunsen burner do not experience a reduction in colony-forming units (CFU) settling. Linear regression indicates that results are environmentally context dependent: plates adjacent to Bunsen burners with 18 mm flame diameter exhibit mildly decreased deposition of dry particles when control contamination rates exceed 83 CFU\/min, but increased dry particle deposition at contamination rates below that cutoff. Duration of flame activity is not associated with improved aseptic outcomes, regardless of flame size or particle moisture. Taken together, these data suggest that 18 mm Bunsen burners should be selectively implemented only in situations of \u201chigh and dry\u201d airborne contamination. Outside this specific context, their activity is either neutral or detrimental to laboratory asepsis.<\/jats:p>\n                  <\/jats:sec>\n                  <jats:sec>\n                    <jats:title>IMPORTANCE<\/jats:title>\n                    <jats:p>The ability to manipulate and control microbial presence in built environments is imperative to research and medicine. The lack of documented evidence relating Bunsen burner use and airborne contamination led us to conclude that this element of aseptic technique has until now been supported primarily by lore and tradition rather than experimental data. Given that laboratory open flame use has financial, temporal, and safety implications for research institutions across the globe, we sought to determine whether it is a worthwhile investment of resources. Ultimately, our data suggest that this practice is not evidence-based and that, except in a specific subset of circumstances, Bunsen burners can be removed from classroom and laboratory practice without compromising research integrity.<\/jats:p>\n                  <\/jats:sec>","DOI":"10.1128\/spectrum.01028-26","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2026,8,17]],"date-time":"2026-08-17T13:01:57Z","timestamp":1786971717000},"update-policy":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1128\/asmj-crossmark-policy-page","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":1,"title":["As a component of aseptic technique, Bunsen burners do not universally decrease deposition of microbe-containing particles"],"prefix":"10.1128","volume":"14","author":[{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0009-0007-1801-5859","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Kate","family":"DeVincent","sequence":"first","affiliation":[{"id":[{"id":"https:\/\/ror.org\/049c9xv68","id-type":"ROR","asserted-by":"publisher"}],"name":"Department of Health Sciences, Providence College","place":["Providence, USA"]}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Ariana","family":"Carretta","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"id":[{"id":"https:\/\/ror.org\/00rxpqe74","id-type":"ROR","asserted-by":"publisher"}],"name":"Department of Biology, Providence College","place":["Providence, USA"]}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0009-0005-6101-3985","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Vanessa","family":"Colina","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"id":[{"id":"https:\/\/ror.org\/049c9xv68","id-type":"ROR","asserted-by":"publisher"}],"name":"Department of Health Sciences, Providence College","place":["Providence, USA"]}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Imani","family":"Laporte","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"id":[{"id":"https:\/\/ror.org\/049c9xv68","id-type":"ROR","asserted-by":"publisher"}],"name":"Department of Health Sciences, Providence College","place":["Providence, USA"]}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0009-0004-0956-1135","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Tyler","family":"Oung","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"id":[{"id":"https:\/\/ror.org\/00rxpqe74","id-type":"ROR","asserted-by":"publisher"}],"name":"Department of Biology, Providence College","place":["Providence, USA"]}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0001-8080-7485","authenticated-orcid":true,"given":"Hannah E.","family":"Gavin","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"id":[{"id":"https:\/\/ror.org\/049c9xv68","id-type":"ROR","asserted-by":"publisher"}],"name":"Department of Health Sciences, Providence College","place":["Providence, USA"]}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]}],"member":"235","reference":[{"key":"e_1_3_4_2_2","unstructured":"Pasteur I. 2025. The middle years 1862-1877. https:\/\/www.pasteur.fr\/en\/institut-pasteur\/history\/middle-years-1862-1877."},{"key":"e_1_3_4_3_2","first-page":"8","volume-title":"Experiments in envrionmental microbiology","author":"Millipore","year":"1969","unstructured":"Millipore. 1969 Technique\u2026good, and bad, p 8\u201319. In Experiments in envrionmental microbiology"},{"key":"e_1_3_4_4_2","first-page":"4.1.1","volume-title":"Current protocols essential laboratory techniques","author":"Tomasz Bykowski AV","year":"2012","unstructured":"Tomasz Bykowski AV, Brissette CA, Stevenson B. 2012. Current protocols essential laboratory techniques, p 4.1.1\u20134.1.12. John Wiley & Sons."},{"key":"e_1_3_4_5_2","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1002\/cpmc.98"},{"key":"e_1_3_4_6_2","unstructured":"LabXchange. 2021. Sterile Area of the Bunsen Burner. LabXchange. The President and Fellows of Harvard College. Available from: https:\/\/www.labxchange.org\/library\/items\/lb:LabXchange:d18667ad:lx_image:1"},{"key":"e_1_3_4_7_2","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.3791\/3064"},{"key":"e_1_3_4_8_2","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.3791\/2754"},{"key":"e_1_3_4_9_2","unstructured":"SCU East Bay General Microbiology Lab Manual. 2025. LibreTexts. https:\/\/bio.libretexts.org\/Learning_Objects\/Laboratory_Experiments\/Microbiology_Labs\/Book%3A_General_Microbiology_Lab_Manual_(Pakpour_and_Horgan."},{"key":"e_1_3_4_10_2","volume-title":"Basic practical microbiology, a manual","author":"Burdass D","year":"2016","unstructured":"Burdass D, Grainger J, Hurst J, eds. 2016. Basic practical microbiology, a manual. The Microbiology Society, London, UK."},{"key":"e_1_3_4_11_2","volume-title":"Part 1: the good - lactic acid bacteria, p 8, food and biotechnology - the good, the bad, and the complex","author":"Cathcart D","year":"2021","unstructured":"Cathcart D. 2021. Part 1: the good - lactic acid bacteria, p 8, food and biotechnology - the good, the bad, and the complex. Amgen Foundation."},{"key":"e_1_3_4_12_2","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1007\/BF02835704"},{"key":"e_1_3_4_13_2","unstructured":"alasziel. 2024. Bunsen burners microbiology and aseptic technique. Reddit r\/Labrats"},{"key":"e_1_3_4_14_2","unstructured":"Quora. 2018. To what extent does working near a Bunsen burner when working with bacteria actually maintain a sterile bench? Quora"},{"key":"e_1_3_4_15_2","unstructured":"Macdonald J. 2017. Sterile field from Bunsen burners? ResearchGate"},{"key":"e_1_3_4_16_2","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.3389\/fmicb.2017.02336"},{"key":"e_1_3_4_17_2","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1186\/s40168-015-0144-z"},{"key":"e_1_3_4_18_2","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1021\/es202946w"},{"key":"e_1_3_4_19_2","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Marsh AS. 2016. FAQ: microbiology of built environments: report on an american academy of microbiology colloquium held in Washington DC in September 2015. American Society for Microbiology","DOI":"10.1128\/AAMCol.Sept.2015"},{"key":"e_1_3_4_20_2","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1111\/j.1600-0668.2012.00769.x"},{"key":"e_1_3_4_21_2","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1002\/cphy.c100085"},{"key":"e_1_3_4_22_2","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1111\/j.1600-0668.2004.00286.x"},{"key":"e_1_3_4_23_2","unstructured":"Stephens B. 2014. Indoor particle size distributions: implications for microbiology on microBEnet: the microbiology of the built environment network. Available from: https:\/\/microbe.net\/2014\/04\/03\/indoor-particle-size-distributions-implications-for-microbiology"},{"key":"e_1_3_4_24_2","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1002\/hsr2.275"},{"key":"e_1_3_4_25_2","first-page":"1","volume-title":"Laboratory exercises, MCBI 6401 microbiology and immunology II","author":"ECU Department of Microbiology and Immunology","year":"1993","unstructured":"ECU Department of Microbiology and Immunology. 1993. Basic methods - aseptic transfer technique, p 1\u20135. In Laboratory exercises, MCBI 6401 microbiology and immunology II. Greenville, NC."},{"key":"e_1_3_4_26_2","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1111\/lam.13109"},{"key":"e_1_3_4_27_2","volume-title":"Medical bacteriology","author":"Roddy JA","year":"1917","unstructured":"Roddy JA. 1917. Medical bacteriology. P. Blakiston\u2019s Son & Co, Philadelphia."},{"key":"e_1_3_4_28_2","volume-title":"Microbiology study cards","author":"Graaff KM","year":"1995","unstructured":"Graaff KM, Johnson FB, Creek CH. 1995. Microbiology study cards. Wm. C. Brown Publishers."},{"key":"e_1_3_4_29_2","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.2475\/ajs.s3-11.64.305"},{"key":"e_1_3_4_30_2","unstructured":"Thomas Scientific. 2026. Dead air boxes. Available from: https:\/\/www.thomassci.com\/p\/dead-air-boxes?srsltid=AfmBOopeH3IKx0FhNNSHdoRW-22dMlYEHzOlL1hW6pQnG95pKK58sgJx"},{"key":"e_1_3_4_31_2","unstructured":"Spore N. 2026 Still air boxes. Available from: https:\/\/northspore.com\/collections\/still-air-boxes?srsltid=AfmBOor5zK9YA9KrlLqgaepsr_o4teUwJvfKejPFWKaQ7yf-18kPXzdv"},{"key":"e_1_3_4_32_2","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1128\/am.23.3.441-443.1972"},{"key":"e_1_3_4_33_2","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1007\/978-1-4613-4133-8_4"},{"key":"e_1_3_4_34_2","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.23750\/abm.v91i3-S.9434"},{"key":"e_1_3_4_35_2","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.4103\/aca.aca_200_24"},{"key":"e_1_3_4_36_2","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1128\/jb.1.3.321-331.1916"}],"container-title":["Microbiology Spectrum"],"original-title":[],"contributor":[{"given":"Nicholas A.","family":"Turner","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"reviewer"}]}],"language":"en","link":[{"URL":"https:\/\/journals.asm.org\/doi\/pdf\/10.1128\/spectrum.01028-26","content-type":"application\/pdf","content-version":"vor","intended-application":"text-mining"},{"URL":"https:\/\/journals.asm.org\/doi\/pdf\/10.1128\/spectrum.01028-26","content-type":"unspecified","content-version":"vor","intended-application":"similarity-checking"}],"deposited":{"date-parts":[[2026,10,6]],"date-time":"2026-10-06T13:10:24Z","timestamp":1791292224000},"score":1,"resource":{"primary":{"URL":"https:\/\/journals.asm.org\/doi\/10.1128\/spectrum.01028-26"}},"subtitle":[],"editor":[{"given":"Bobby G.","family":"Warren","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"editor"}]}],"short-title":[],"issued":{"date-parts":[[2026,10,6]]},"references-count":35,"journal-issue":{"issue":"10","published-print":{"date-parts":[[2026,10,6]]}},"alternative-id":["10.1128\/spectrum.01028-26"],"URL":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1128\/spectrum.01028-26","relation":{},"ISSN":["2165-0497"],"issn-type":[{"value":"2165-0497","type":"electronic"}],"subject":[],"published":{"date-parts":[[2026,10,6]]},"assertion":[{"value":"2026-03-24","order":0,"name":"received","label":"Received","group":{"name":"publication_history","label":"Publication History"}},{"value":"2026-06-25","order":2,"name":"accepted","label":"Accepted","group":{"name":"publication_history","label":"Publication History"}},{"value":"2026-08-17","order":3,"name":"published","label":"Published","group":{"name":"publication_history","label":"Publication History"}}],"article-number":"e01028-26"}}