1. Bacterial Effects of Body Piercing Robert S. Bruneel Undergraduate Student Department of Education Secondary Education Biology Tennessee Technological University Cookeville, TN 38501

2. Project Summary PROBLEM/QUESTION PROBLEM/QUESTION-Are body piercings more prone to bacterial formation, depending on the place of the piercing? OBJECTIVE- To prove that depending on the place of piercing, more bacteria formation is likely to occur around piercing site. OBJECTIVE- To prove that depending on the place of piercing, more bacteria formation is likely to occur around piercing site. HYPOTHESIS- A person is more susceptible to bacteria formation around piercing site. HYPOTHESIS- A person is more susceptible to bacteria formation around piercing site. NULL HYPOTHESIS- A person is not more susceptible to bacteria formation around piercing site. NULL HYPOTHESIS- A person is not more susceptible to bacteria formation around piercing site.

3. Project Summary GOAL: GOAL: –To prove that people that have body piercings are more prone to bacterial growth around the pierce site than someone without the piercing at the same site. HOW DO I ACCOMPLISH GOAL: HOW DO I ACCOMPLISH GOAL: –Data: Swabs of people with different piercings. –Treatments:  1. People with no piercing.  2. People that have an ear piercing.  3. People with tongue piercing. –Control: People with no piercings. –Replicates: Two groups of people, both with ear piercings and two groups of people with tongue piercings and two groups of people with no piercings at all.

4. Intoduction PROBLEM = body piercing can cause serious bacterial infections. PROBLEM = body piercing can cause serious bacterial infections. HYPOTHESIS- A person is more susceptible to bacteria formation around piercing site. HYPOTHESIS- A person is more susceptible to bacteria formation around piercing site. NULL HYPOTHESIS- A person is not more susceptible to bacteria formation around piercing site. NULL HYPOTHESIS- A person is not more susceptible to bacteria formation around piercing site.

5. Articles Being Referenced The risks of ear piercing in children The risks of ear piercing in children Schleroderma and body piercing Schleroderma and body piercing Monitoring and educational feedback to improve the compliance of tattooists and body piercers with infection control standards: A randomized controlled trial Monitoring and educational feedback to improve the compliance of tattooists and body piercers with infection control standards: A randomized controlled trial Infection control practices among tattooists and body piercers in Sydney, Australia Infection control practices among tattooists and body piercers in Sydney, Australia Body piercing as a risk factor for viral hepatitis: An integrative research review Body piercing as a risk factor for viral hepatitis: An integrative research review Antibiotic prophylaxis, body piercing and infective endocarditis Antibiotic prophylaxis, body piercing and infective endocarditis Body piercing: medical consequences and psychological motivations Body piercing: medical consequences and psychological motivations Mastitis Due to Mycobacterium abscessus after Body Piercing Mastitis Due to Mycobacterium abscessus after Body Piercing

6. Materials and Methods Material/Supplies: Material/Supplies: – Swabs – Petri dishes – Incubator – People Step-by-Step: Step-by-Step:  1. Obtain people.  2. Swab ear piercings.  3. Swab tongue piercings.  4. Swab similar area of people with no piercings.  5. Streak Petri dishes and then incubate.  6. Check for growth.  7. Record data and analyze.

7. Expected Results and Benefits Data Summarization: Data will be summarized by a chart of data including colony counts. Data Summarization: Data will be summarized by a chart of data including colony counts. Assumptions: The people that I do the experiment on will have good hygiene and no colds. Assumptions: The people that I do the experiment on will have good hygiene and no colds. Expected Results: The people that I take swabs from will have more bacteria around pierce site, as others with no piercing will have less bacteria. Expected Results: The people that I take swabs from will have more bacteria around pierce site, as others with no piercing will have less bacteria. Advantages/Disadvantages = A lot of people have piercings, so it is easy to find subjects to experiment on, but not everyone has the same hygiene so the experiment has some error. Advantages/Disadvantages = A lot of people have piercings, so it is easy to find subjects to experiment on, but not everyone has the same hygiene so the experiment has some error.

8. Bacterial Effects of Body Piercing Timeline Time Task Jan 17-24 Jan 24-31Jan 31-Feb 7 Feb 7-14 Feb 14-21Feb 21-28Week 7 Research Topic/Develop Title Apply for Interlibrary Loan Develop Scientific Method Develop Objective/ Hypothesis Start Research Proposal Start Web Page Do Data Form Swab Pierce SitesTO BE DETERMINED Collect Data/ Record DataTO BE DETERMINED

9. Proposed Budget Category Salaries & WagesFirst Year Second Year Professional Technician $ 2,000 Secretarial $ 1,000 Graduate Student(2) $ 3,000 Student Hourly $ 15 Subtotal $ 6,015 Benefits $ 500 Travel $ 200 Non-Expendables $ 300 Expendables Computer $ 1,000 Supplies & Expenses $ 500 Copying & Telephone $ 300 Tuition & Fees $ 2,000 Subtotal $ 4,800 Total Direct Costs $ 10,815 Indirect Costs $ 500 Total Costs $ 11,315