The Effectiveness of Nafion-Coated Stainless Steel Surfaces for Inhibiting Bacillus Subtilis Biofilm Formation

Abstract

Stainless steel is one of most commonly used materials in the world; however, biofilms on the surfaces of stainless steel cause many serious problems. In order to find effective methods of reducing bacterial adhesion to stainless steel, and to investigate the role of electrostatic effects during the formation of biofilms, this study used a stainless steel surface that was negatively charged by being coated with Nafion which was terminated by sulfonic groups. The results showed that the roughness of stainless steel discs coated with 1% Nafion was similar to an uncoated surface; however the hydrophobicity increased, and the Nafion-coated surface reduced the adhesion of Bacillus subtilis by 75% compared with uncoated surfaces. Therefore, a facile way to acquire antibacterial stainless steel was found, and it is proved that electrostatic effects have a significant influence on the formation of biofilms.

Titanium Nitride Thin Film Based Low-Redox-Interference Potentiometric pH Sensing Electrodes

“…Furthermore, the equilibration duration of TiN could be reduced by modifying the TiN layer with redox blocking membranes, which will broaden the application field of this sensor where fast response time is required. These modifications not only improve the sensors reaction time but also increase the proton exchange activity in the cell, adhesion, and overall performance [ 44 , 45 ].…”

The impact of titanium oxide nanoparticles and low direct electric current on biofilm dispersal of $Bacillus~cereus$ and $Pseudomonas~aeruginosa$: A comparative study

“…Generally, although the EPS-matrix represents the robust skeleton that protects the biofilm cells from stress, the eradication and detachment capacity of both DC and NPs were evident throughout the current study. This could be attributed to alterations in the physical-chemical characteristics of both biofilm and adherent surfaces (i.e., polymeric properties, hydrophobicity/hydrophilicity, charge, roughness, and surface free energies) induced by both treatments, which ultimately destabilized adhesion of the preformed biofilm to the surface [70,71]. Moreover, the involvement of water channels in the core structure of the biofilm, which allow mainly the transportation of nutrients, could permit the diffusion of toxic substances that generate ROS, which unambiguously cause cell damage [71][72][73].…”

“…This could be attributed to alterations in the physical-chemical characteristics of both biofilm and adherent surfaces (i.e., polymeric properties, hydrophobicity/hydrophilicity, charge, roughness, and surface free energies) induced by both treatments, which ultimately destabilized adhesion of the preformed biofilm to the surface [70,71]. Moreover, the involvement of water channels in the core structure of the biofilm, which allow mainly the transportation of nutrients, could permit the diffusion of toxic substances that generate ROS, which unambiguously cause cell damage [71][72][73]. This assumption was confirmed simultaneously via SEM (the presence of pores, pits, furrows, and cell deformation) and ROS results.…”

3D Conducting Polymeric Membrane and Scaffold Saccharomyces cerevisiae Biofilms to Enhance Energy Conversion in Microbial Fuel Cells

“…The electron flow will produce a direct electrical current, causing the potential differences between the anode and cathode compartments . The aromatic sulfonation (in Nafion) of a membrane may result in acidity changes in the anode, causing microbe inhibitions . The S. cerevisiae was used as a biocatalyst because of its resilience to environmental changes and its facile electron transfer mechanism .…”

“…31 The aromatic sulfonation (in Nafion) of a membrane may result in acidity changes in the anode, causing microbe inhibitions. 32 The S. cerevisiae was used as a biocatalyst because of its resilience to environmental changes and its facile electron transfer mechanism. 33 Previously, it was shown that the S. cerevisiae, a eukaryote, was retrofitted into ethanol plants for in situ power generation; 34 in the short term, their configurations resulted in low device durability because of the poisoning of the biocatalyst.…”