PDMS based porous particles as support beds for cell immobilization:bacterial biofilm formation as a function of porosity and polymer composition

M. FERNANDEZ; G. CASABONA; V. ANUPAMA; G. CURUTCHET; D. BERNIK

COLLOIDS AND SURFACES B-BIOINTERFACES

ELSEVIER SCIENCE BV

Lugar: Amsterdam; Año: 2010 vol. 81 p. 289 - 296

0927-7765

The objective of thisworkis to test the performance ofnewsynthetic polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS)-based bed particles acting as carriers for bacteria biofilms. The particles obtained have a highly interconnected porous structure which offers a large surface adsorption area to the bacteria. In addition, PDMS materials can be cross-linked by copolymerization with other polymers. In the present work we have chosen two hydrophilic polymers: xanthan gum polysaccharide and tetraethoxysilane (TEOS). This versatile composition helps to modulate the interfacial hydrophobic/hydrophilic balance at the particle surface level and the roughness topology and pore size distribution, as revealed by scanning electron microscopy. Biofilm formation of a consortium isolated from a tannery effluent enriched in Sulphate Reducing BacteriaSulphate Reducing Bacteria (SRB), and pure Acidithiobacillus ferrooxidans (AF) strains were assayed in three different bed particles synthesized with pure PDMS, PDMS–xanthan gum and PDMS–TEOS hybrids. Bacterial viability assays using confocal laser scanning fluorescence microscopy indicate that inclusion of hydrophilic groups on particle’s surface significantly improves both cell adhesion and viability synthesized with pure PDMS, PDMS–xanthan gum and PDMS–TEOS hybrids. Bacterial viability assays using confocal laser scanning fluorescence microscopy indicate that inclusion of hydrophilic groups on particle’s surface significantly improves both cell adhesion and viability SRB), and pure Acidithiobacillus ferrooxidans (AF) strains were assayed in three different bed particles synthesized with pure PDMS, PDMS–xanthan gum and PDMS–TEOS hybrids. Bacterial viability assays using confocal laser scanning fluorescence microscopy indicate that inclusion of hydrophilic groups on particle’s surface significantly improves both cell adhesion and viability