The Effects of Lavender, Eucalyptus, Lemongrass, and Cinnamon Essential Oils on E. coli and S. aureus
Microbiology- Grade:
- 12
- Teacher:
- Elyse Wexler
"This project is about testing four different essential oils (Lavender, Eucalyptus, Lemongrass, Cinnamon) to determine how well they inhibit the growth of E. coli and S. aureus compared to the negative control of saline and positive control of Tetracycline. I chose this project because many people in my family, including me, worry about bacteria in the food we eat. My results were that Cinnamon Essential Oil inhibited the most bacteria compared to the other three essential oils (Lavender, Eucalyptus, Lemongrass) and the positive control of Tetracycline antibiotic. My project is important because antibiotic resistance is becoming a problem due to the overuse and misuse of antibiotics. Essential oils may be an alternative in a number of settings as they have been shown to inhibit the growth of many bacteria, including antibiotic-resistant ones."