Bacterial Film Disintegration with Electrochemically Reduced Water

Area of Science:

• Microbiology
• Biotechnology
• Materials Science

Background:

• Bacterial biofilms pose significant challenges in various industrial and medical settings due to their resilience.
• Understanding biofilm structure is crucial for developing effective eradication strategies.
• Flow reactors are common environments where biofilm formation can impact system performance.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the fine structure of bacterial biofilms formed on flow reactor inner surfaces.
• To evaluate the effect of electrochemically reduced water (ERW) on biofilm ultrastructure.
• To visualize the impact of ERW on the biofilm matrix and embedded microorganisms.

Main Methods:

• Utilizing scanning electron microscopy (SEM) to visualize the detailed surface relief of biofilms.
• Culturing bacterial biofilms, including E. coli and lacto bacteria, within a flow reactor.
• Treating established biofilms with a solution of electrochemically reduced water (ERW).

Main Results:

• SEM imaging revealed the complex three-dimensional structure of the bacterial biofilm.
• Treatment with ERW resulted in the disintegration of the biofilm's organic polymer matrix.
• ERW effectively destroyed both the biofilm matrix and the embedded bacterial cells, including E. coli and lacto bacteria.

Conclusions:

• Electrolytically reduced water demonstrates potent biofilm-disrupting capabilities.
• ERW treatment offers a promising approach for controlling and eliminating bacterial biofilms in flow systems.
• The findings highlight the potential of ERW as an antimicrobial agent against biofilm structures.