Chun, Alexander LM;
Mosayyebi, Ali;
Butt, Arthur;
Carugo, Dario;
Salta, Maria;
(2022)
Early biofilm and streamer formation is mediated by wall shear stress and surface wettability: A multifactorial microfluidic study.
MicrobiologyOpen
, 11
(4)
, Article e1310. 10.1002/mbo3.1310.
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Abstract
Biofilms are intricate communities of microorganisms encapsulated within a self-produced matrix of extra-polymeric substances (EPS), creating complex three-dimensional structures allowing for liquid and nutrient transport through them. These aggregations offer constituent microorganisms enhanced protection from environmental stimuli—like fluid flow—and are also associated with higher resistance to antimicrobial compounds, providing a persistent cause of concern in numerous sectors like the marine (biofouling and aquaculture), medical (infections and antimicrobial resistance), dentistry (plaque on teeth), food safety, as well as causing energy loss and corrosion. Recent studies have demonstrated that biofilms interact with microplastics, often influencing their pathway to higher trophic levels. Previous research has shown that initial bacterial attachment is affected by surface properties. Using a microfluidic flow cell, we have investigated the relationship between both wall shear stress (τw) and surface properties (surface wettability) upon biofilm formation of two species (Cobetia marina and Pseudomonas aeruginosa). We investigated biofilm development on low-density polyethylene (LDPE) membranes, Permanox® slides, and glass slides, using nucleic acid staining and end-point confocal laser scanning microscopy. The results show that flow conditions affect biomass, maximum thickness, and surface area of biofilms, with higher τw (5.6 Pa) resulting in thinner biofilms than lower τw (0.2 Pa). In addition, we observed differences in biofilm development across the surfaces tested, with LDPE typically demonstrating more overall biofilm in comparison to Permanox® and glass. Moreover, we demonstrate the formation of biofilm streamers under laminar flow conditions within straight micro-channels.
| Type: | Article |
|---|---|
| Title: | Early biofilm and streamer formation is mediated by wall shear stress and surface wettability: A multifactorial microfluidic study |
| Open access status: | An open access version is available from UCL Discovery |
| DOI: | 10.1002/mbo3.1310 |
| Publisher version: | https://doi.org/10.1002/mbo3.1310 |
| Language: | English |
| Additional information: | © 2022 The Authors. Microbiology Open published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd. This is an open access article under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits use, distribution and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited. |
| Keywords: | biofilm, biofilm formation, biofouling, microfluidics, wall shear stress, surface wettability, biofilm streamers, Cobetia marina, Pseudomonas aeruginosa |
| UCL classification: | UCL > Provost and Vice Provost Offices > School of Life and Medical Sciences > Faculty of Life Sciences UCL > Provost and Vice Provost Offices > School of Life and Medical Sciences > Faculty of Life Sciences > UCL School of Pharmacy > Pharmaceutics UCL > Provost and Vice Provost Offices > School of Life and Medical Sciences UCL UCL > Provost and Vice Provost Offices > School of Life and Medical Sciences > Faculty of Life Sciences > UCL School of Pharmacy |
| URI: | https://discovery.ucl.ac.uk/id/eprint/10153927 |
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