Scientists sometimes ask themselves questions that may seem strange to us : that of knowing, for example, why our stool float or, on the contrary, sink steeply.
Floating stool were previously thought to be the result of a rather fatty diet. Indeed, a fatty substance, less dense than water, tends to stay on its surface.
However, American researchers wanted to test another hypothesis. They first chose a mouse devoid of microbiota, made up of all the microorganisms of a given environment, in this case the intestine.
In the stomach of this mouse, they notably injected the bacteria contained in the excrement of another mouse which had a microbiota.
The result of this experiment was quite clear : the faeces of this mouse almost all floated. Whereas before, they tended to sink into the water. They had also noticed the same phenomenon with other mice devoid of intestinal microbiota.
How to explain that after this injection of bacteria the droppings of these mice begin to float ? The explanation lies in the nature of the bacteria introduced into the organism of mice without microbiota.
Indeed, these bacteria produce gases related to methane. Which also explains, at least in part, why they also produce flatulence in some people. It is also in this way that part of these gases is evacuated; but another part can end up inside the stool.
It is therefore these gases that cause the droppings to float. This being the case, one may wonder whether scientists have looked into another question : does the fact that the stool sinks in the water of the toilet bowl or floats on its surface have any relationship with the health of who produces them ?
For the moment, they do not make a link between a person's health and the nature of their stool. But they intend to continue their research in this direction. However, there is a possible relationship between floating feces and irritable bowel syndrome.
Why do I have to close the toilet bowl before flushing ?
Of course, you do not fail to flush the toilet after going to the toilet. But you don't always remember to fold down the toilet. It is however a precaution to be taken.
A new American study confirms this. It could raise a smile if it did not involve a real public health issue.
So the researchers placed a toilet in the middle of their lab. Then they flushed the toilet, which, it must be said, contained only water. To observe what was happening, they placed lasers above the toilets. High-resolution cameras complemented this sophisticated equipment.
This is what the scientists were able to observe after they flushed the toilet. They noticed that droplets were then expelled from the toilet. The largest of them fell quite quickly.
But that was not the case with the little ones. Indeed, these sheaves of tiny droplets propagated, in the form of aerosols, up to an altitude of approximately 1.5 m and, even, according to these scientists, up to the ceiling of their laboratory.
And these particles were propelled at the speed of 2 meters per second. The power of this jet surprised the researchers. They then remain suspended in the air of the room. And this is where a danger can arise.
Indeed, stools can contain potentially pathogenic viruses and bacteria, which remain in the bowl for some time and which, thrown out of the toilet, can infiltrate the lungs.
Could the Covid-19 virus be transmitted this way ? According to scientists, it is possible, but nothing proves it for the moment. This will require further research.
As we can see, it is therefore better to think, to avoid such inconvenience, to close the lid before flushing the toilet. Be that as it may, this study could make it possible to modify the installation of public toilets, so as to avoid, or at least limit, the risks of contamination.
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