![Sample our Environment & Agriculture journals, sign in here to start your access, latest two full volumes FREE to you for 14 days]({"type":"image" , "src" : "/sda/5934/TOC-Subject-Sample-2021-Environment-Agriculture.jpg"})
Abstract
This work reports on a simple, robust and scientifically sound method to develop surfaces able to reduce microbial attachment and biofilm development, with possible applications in medicine, dentistry, food processing, or water treatment. Anodic surfaces with cylindrical nanopores 15 to 100 nm in diameter were manufactured and incubated with Escherichia coli ATCC 25922 and Listeria innocua. Surfaces with 15 and 25 nm pore diameters significantly repressed attachment and biofilm formation. Surface–bacteria interaction forces calculated using the extended Derjaguin Landau Verwey-Overbeek (XDLVO) theory indicate that reduction in attachment and biofilm formation is due to a synergy between electrostatic repulsion and surface effective free energy. An attachment study using E. coli K12 strains unable to express appendages also suggests that the small-pore surfaces may inhibit flagella-dependent attachment. These results can have immediate, far-reaching implications and commercial applications, with substantial benefits for human health and life.
Acknowledgements
This project was supported by USDA-NIFA (Project 65210–20024–11). This work made use of the Cornell Center for Materials Research (CCMR) Shared Facilities, supported through the NSF MRSEC program (DMR-1120296), Cornell University Biotechnology Resource Center (BRC) Imaging Facility, with support from NIH 1S10RR025502-01, and the Cornell Nanobiotechnology Center (NBTC), supported by NSF (Agreement No. ECS-9876771). The authors are grateful for the assistance from Penny D. Burke (NBTC), Teresa Porri (NBTC), John A. Hunt (CCMR), Malcolm Thomas (CCMR), John L. Grazul (CCMR), and Carol J. Bayles (BRC).