Quorum Quenching Nanofibers for Anti-Biofouling Applications

Abstract

Biofilms, complex microbial communities, adept at forming on diverse surfaces within environments, such as membrane technologies, ship hulls, medical devices, and clinical infections, pose persistent challenges. While various biofilm prevention methods, including antimicrobial coatings, physical barriers, and bacteriophage utilization, have been devised for engineered systems, their efficacy fluctuates based on application type and microbial species. Consequently, there remains a pressing need for the development of highly targeted and efficient biofilm control strategies tailored to specific applications remains a pressing need. In our investigation, we disrupt microbial cell-to-cell communication in Pseudomonas aeruginosa through the application of anti-quorum sensing (anti-QS) furanone C-30 molecules. The incorporation of these molecules onto electrospun surfaces yielded substantial reductions of 69% in petri dish assays and 58% on mixed cellulose ester (MCE) membranes in a dead-end nanofiltration system, showcasing the potent anti-biofouling impact. Notably, the functionalization of MCE surfaces with anti-QS molecules resulted in a remarkable 16.7% improvement in filtration output. These findings underscore the potential of this targeted approach to mitigate biofilm formation, offering a technical foundation for advancing tailored strategies in the ongoing pursuit of effective and application-specific biofilm control measures.