Influence of surface copper content on Stenotrophomonas maltophilia biofilm control using chlorine and mechanical stress

Abstract

This work aimed to evaluate the action of materials with different copper content (0, 57, 96 and 100%) on biofilm formation and control by chlorination and mechanical stress. Stenotrophomonas maltophilia isolated from drinking water was used as a model microorganism and biofilms were developed in a rotating cylinder reactor using realism-based shear stress conditions. Biofilms were characterized phenotypically and exposed to three control strategies: 10 mg l⁻¹ of free chlorine for 10 min, an increased shear stress (a fluid velocity of 1.5 m s⁻¹ for 30s), and a combination of both treatments. These shock treatments were not effective in biofilm control. The benefits from the use of copper surfaces was found essentially in reducing the numbers of non-damaged cells. Copper materials demonstrated better performance in biofilm prevention than chlorine. In general, copper alloys may have a positive public health impact by reducing the number of non-damaged cells in the water delivered after chlorine exposure.

Keywords:

• Biofilm control
• chlorine
• copper alloys
• flushing
• rotating cylinder reactor

Disclosure statement

The authors declare no conflict of interests.

Additional information

Funding

This work was the result of the projects: UID/EQU/00511/2019 – Laboratory for Process Engineering, Environment, Biotechnology and Energy – LEPABE funded by national funds through FCT/MCTES (PIDDAC); POCI-01-0145-FEDER-030219; POCI-01-0247-FEDER-035234; POCI-01-0247-FEDER-033298 - funded by FEDER funds through COMPETE2020 – Programa Operacional Competitividade e Internacionalização (POCI) and by national funds (PIDDAC) through FCT/MCTES; NORTE-01-0145-FEDER-000005 – LEPABE-2-ECO-INNOVATION, supported by Norte Portugal Regional Operational Programme (NORTE 2020), under PORTUGAL 2020 Partnership Agreement, through the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF). Grant attributed by Portuguese Foundation for Science and Technology – FCT – to Inês Gomes (SFRH/BD/103810/2014) and to Manuel Simões (SFRH/BSAB/150379/2019).