Biofilm comes back: Controlling regrowth by mitigating the cell-matrix interaction.

Area of Science:

• Microbiology and Materials Science
• Antimicrobial resistance and biofilm control strategies

Background:

• Biofilms cause significant issues in infections and sanitation.
• Existing antimicrobial agents struggle to prevent biofilm reformation after treatment.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the role of extracellular polymeric substances (EPS) in biofilm regrowth after treatment.
• To develop an advanced strategy to inhibit biofilm reformation.

Main Methods:

• Quantified cell-EPS interaction using Manders coefficient and EPS mass per cell via BiofilmQ software.
• Developed a sequential treatment using MnO2-doped diatoms to reduce EPS volume prior to H2O2 + PAA application.

Main Results:

• Hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) and peracetic acid (PAA) mixture increased EPS mass per cell, contributing to regrowth.
• The sequential strategy significantly reduced EPS mass associated with cells.
• Biofilm regrowth was inhibited for over 2 months using the novel approach.

Conclusions:

• EPS plays a critical role in bacterial cell survival and biofilm reformation post-treatment.
• A sequential strategy involving EPS reduction is effective in long-term biofilm inhibition.
• This approach offers a promising solution for controlling infections and biofouling in various applications.