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Early biofilm and streamer formation is mediated by wall shear stress and surface wettability: a multifactorial microfluidic study
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This microfluidic study examined how wall shear stress and surface wettability jointly influence early biofilm and streamer formation on surfaces. The results showed that these two physical factors interact to determine the onset and architecture of early biofilm attachment, with implications for anti-fouling applications in marine, medical, and industrial settings.
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, aquaculture), medical (infections, 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 (CLSM). 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.
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Early biofilm and streamer formation is mediated by wall shear stress and surface wettability: A multifactorial microfluidic study
AI summary Read the abstract
Researchers used a microfluidic flow cell to investigate how wall shear stress and surface wettability influence early biofilm formation by Cobetia marina and Pseudomonas aeruginosa on low-density polyethylene, Permanox, and glass surfaces, finding that higher shear stress reduced biofilm thickness and biomass while surface wettability modulated initial bacterial attachment patterns.
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Researchers investigated how water turbulence affects the growth of biofilms on microplastic surfaces, a process important for understanding how plastics behave in ocean environments. They found that biofilm growth is primarily driven by shear forces rather than turbulent fluctuations, with moderate shear promoting the thickest biofilm development. The findings matter because biofilms on microplastics increase their stickiness and tendency to sink, influencing where plastic pollution ultimately ends up in the ocean.
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Researchers investigated how shear and turbulent fluctuations affect biofilm formation on microplastic surfaces in oceanic environments using oscillating-grid laboratory experiments, finding that under shear-dominated conditions biofilm mass initially grows with turbulence intensity before declining due to erosion, while shear-free turbulence consistently promotes biomass increase.
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