Adhesion Kinetics of Escherichia coli onto surface-modified HDPE: Looking for Answers in DLVO theories

QUIROGA, F. Y.; GRASSELLI, M.

Villa Carlos Paz

Congreso; XLII Congreso de la Sociedad Argentina de Biofísica; 2013

Sociedad Argentina de Biofísica - IUPAB

This work studies the interactions between recombinant Escherichia coli cells and high density polyethylene (HDPE) surface-modified with different concentrations of cationic branches. The adhesion kinetics of E. coli on cationic HDPE films was measured in situ by fluorescence detection of green fluorescence protein (GFP) expressed by the bacteria attached to the film. The overall interactions between cells and surface were determined by contact angle and zeta potential measurements and quantified using the classical and extended Derjaguin-Landau-Verwey-Overbeek theories (DLVO and xDLVO respectively) [1]. According to those theories, interfacial interaction between a colloid (bacteria) and a surface in aqueous media correspond to Lifsithz van der Waals interactions, Lewis acid-base interactions, and electrostatic interactions [2]. The adhesion capacity of E. coli was found higher for those polymers with the highest cationic and hydrophobic values.