STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. — New York City residents who require a shoeless home win this round.
A new study found that we bring in poop bacteria after taking a stroll on city sidewalks.
The study, “Faecal indicator bacteria on indoor floors linked to exterior sidewalk contamination in New York City,” published in the journal Indoor and Built Environment, sought to find answers to the most interesting, yet disturbing questions: Can fecal bacteria picked up by dog walkers remain on the sidewalk, transfer to your shoes, and transfer indoors to your home?
Marymount Manhattan Professor of Chemistry Alessandra Leri, Ph.D., and biology alumna Marjan Khan studies the fecal pathogens enterococci and E. coli on New York City sidewalks, on shoe soles, and in the indoor environment. The paper reports startlingly high numbers of fecal pathogens specifically on the sidewalks of the Upper East Side in Manhattan.
Most pathogens were found in pooled rainwater on city sidewalks — about 31,000 fecal bacteria per 100 milliliters (think half of an 8-ounce mini water bottle).
The pair traced the bacteria to shoe soles and indoor floors, finding very high numbers on carpets and significantly lower numbers on adjacent uncarpeted flooring.
The greatest number of fecal bacteria was found on floors near a building’s entryway.
The lowest numbers were in the interior of a building, where there was less foot traffic.
While this study analyzed results in Manhattan, perhaps there’s a lesson for anyone living in the five boroughs. Leri told Marymount Manhattan that the new research could prompt a change in daily habits — like taking off shoes when they enter their home before they track bacteria indoors.
You can read the full study here.
FOLLOW ANNALISE KNUDSON ON FACEBOOK AND TWITTER.