Presenters: Jaxson Tadje
Authors: Sterling Fuller, Jaxson Tadje, Scott Weber
Faculty Advisor: Jim Johnston
Institution: Brigham Young University
Direct evaporative coolers (swamp coolers) function by drawing hot, dry ambient air across a wet evaporative pad, effectively cooling the interior environment through water vapor heat conduction. Evaporative coolers cycle water across the evaporative pad with the aid of a pump supplied by a water reservoir commonly called a “sump.” In this study we explore how evaporative coolers may distribute unique bacteria and fungi into homes through microbial growth propagated in the sump water. Previous investigations have shown higher levels of endotoxin andβ-(1→3)-D-glucan in dust from homes with evaporative coolers compared to homes with central air conditioning. Endotoxins are found on gram negative bacteria andβ-(1→3)-D-glucan is found on fungi. Both have significant associations with respiratory health and development. Using high through-put DNA sequencing, we will analyze the bacterial, fungal, and archaeal community in homes with evaporative coolers and those utilizing traditional central air. Through sequencing of the V3 & V4 region of the 16S rRNA gene we will identify and categorize the different taxa found in these homes. We will then conduct an analysis of the data gathered to determine the significance of the taxa present, paying particular attention to species of bacteria and fungi that might be immunologically important to human development.