Biofouling is a problem common in all systems where microorganisms and aqueous environment meet. Prevention of biofouling is therefore important in many industrial processes. The aim of this study was to develop a method to evaluate the ability of material coating to inhibit biofilm formation. Chitosan-coated polypropylene nonwoven textile was prepared using dielectric barrier discharge plasma activation. Resistance of the textile to biofouling was then tested. First, the textile was submerged into a growth medium inoculated with green fluorescein protein labelled Pseudomonas aeruginosa. After overnight incubation at 33°C, the textile was observed using confocal laser scanning microscopy for bacterial enumeration and biofilm structure characterisation. In the second stage, the textile was used as a filter medium for prefiltered river water, and the pressure development on the in-flow side was measured to quantify the overall level of biofouling. In both cases, nontreated textile samples were used as a control. The results indicate that the chitosan coating exhibits antibacterial properties. The developed method is applicable for the evaluation of the ability to inhibit biofilm formation.

Department of Physical Electronics Faculty of Science Masaryk University 611 37 Brno Czech Republic

See more in PubMed

Kumar CG, Anand SK. Significance of microbial biofilms in food industry: a review. International Journal of Food Microbiology. 1998;42(1-2):9–27. PubMed

Ludensky M. Control and monitoring of biofilms in industrial applications. International Biodeterioration and Biodegradation. 2003;51(4):255–263.

Simmons RB, Rose LJ, Crow SA, Ahearn DG. The occurrence and persistence of mixed biofilms in automobile air conditioning systems. Current Microbiology. 1999;39(3):141–145. PubMed

Baker JS, Dudley LY. Biofouling in membrane systems: a review. Desalination. 118(1–3):81–89. Conference on Membranes in Drinking and Industrial Water Production, 1998.

Fux CA, Costerton JW, Stewart PS, Stoodley P. Survival strategies of infectious biofilms. Trends in Microbiology. 2005;13(1):34–40. PubMed

Lewis K. Riddle of biofilm resistance. Antimicrobial Agents and Chemotherapy. 2001;45(4):999–1007. PubMed PMC

Costerton JW. Introduction to biofilm. International Journal of Antimicrobial Agents. 1999;11(3-4):217–221. PubMed

Rinaudo M. Main properties and current applications of some polysaccharides as biomaterials. Polymer International. 2008;57(3):397–430.

Kong M, Chen XG, Xing K, Park HJ. Antimicrobial properties of chitosan and mode of action: a state of the art review. International Journal of Food Microbiology. 2010;144(1):51–63. PubMed

Raafat D, Sahl HG. Chitosan and its antimicrobial potential—a critical literature survey. Microbial Biotechnology. 2009;2(2):186–201. PubMed PMC

Rhoades J, Roller S. Antimicrobial actions of degraded and native chitosan against spoilage organisms in laboratory media and foods. Applied and Environmental Microbiology. 2000;66(1):80–86. PubMed PMC

Roller S, Covill N. The antifungal properties of chitosan in laboratory media and apple juice. International Journal of Food Microbiology. 1999;47(1-2):67–77. PubMed

Roller S, Covill N. The antimicrobial properties of chitosan in mayonnaise and mayonnaise-based shrimp salads. Journal of Food Protection. 2000;63(2):202–209. PubMed

Mi FL, Wu YB, Shyu SS, Chao AC, Lai JY, Su CC. Asymmetric chitosan membranes prepared by dry/wet phase separation: a new type of wound dressing for controlled antibacterial release. Journal of Membrane Science. 2003;212(1-2):237–254.

Rabea EI, Badawy MET, Stevens CV, Smagghe G, Steurbaut W. Chitosan as antimicrobial agent: applications and mode of action. Biomacromolecules. 2003;4(6):1457–1465. PubMed

Sudarshan NR, Hoover DG, Knorr D. Antibacterial action of chitosan. Food Biotechnology. 1992;6(3):257–272.

Chung YC, Chen CY. Antibacterial characteristics and activity of acid-soluble chitosan. Bioresource Technology. 2008;99(8):2806–2814. PubMed

Kaplan S. Plasma processes for wide fabric, film and non-wovens. Surface and Coatings Technology. 2004;186(1-2):214–217.

Ráhel J, Procházka V, Zahoran M, Erben D. Removal of copper metal ions from aqueous solutions by plasma made chitosan filter. Chemicke Listy. 2008;102(16):1432–1435.

Simor M, Ráhel’ J, Vojtek P, Černák M, Brablec A. Atmospheric-pressure diffuse coplanar surface discharge for surface treatments. Applied Physics Letters. 2002;81(15):2716–2718.

Rutala WA, Weber DJ, Healthcare Infection Control Practices Advisory Committee (HICPAC) Guideline for disinfection and sterilization in healthcare facilities. 2008, http://www.cdc.gov/hicpac/Disinfection_Sterilization/toc.html.

Holá V, Růžička F, Votava M. The dynamics of Staphylococcus epidermis biofilm formation in relation to nutrition, temperature, and time. Scripta Medica Facultatis Medicae Universitatis Brunensis Masarykianae. 2006;79(3):169–174.

Allan CR, Hadwiger LA. The fungicidal effect of chitosan on fungi of varying cell wall composition. Experimental Mycology. 1979;3(3):285–287.

Gao XA, Ju WT, Jung WJ, Park RD. Purification and characterization of chitosanase from Bacillus cereus D-11. Carbohydrate Polymers. 2008;72(3):513–520.

Multi-Hollow Surface Dielectric Barrier Discharge for Bacterial Biofilm Decontamination