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Sousa-Cardoso F, Teixeira-Santos R, Campos AF, Lima M, Gomes LC, Soares OSGP, Mergulhão FJ. Graphene-Based Coating to Mitigate Biofilm Development in Marine Environments. NANOMATERIALS (BASEL, SWITZERLAND) 2023; 13:381. [PMID: 36770342 PMCID: PMC9919625 DOI: 10.3390/nano13030381] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/21/2022] [Revised: 01/14/2023] [Accepted: 01/16/2023] [Indexed: 06/18/2023]
Abstract
Due to its several economic and ecological consequences, biofouling is a widely recognized concern in the marine sector. The search for non-biocide-release antifouling coatings has been on the rise, with carbon-nanocoated surfaces showing promising activity. This work aimed to study the impact of pristine graphene nanoplatelets (GNP) on biofilm development through the representative marine bacteria Cobetia marina and to investigate the antibacterial mechanisms of action of this material. For this purpose, a flow cytometric analysis was performed and a GNP/polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) surface containing 5 wt% GNP (G5/PDMS) was produced, characterized, and assessed regarding its biofilm mitigation potential over 42 days in controlled hydrodynamic conditions that mimic marine environments. Flow cytometry revealed membrane damage, greater metabolic activity, and endogenous reactive oxygen species (ROS) production by C. marina when exposed to GNP 5% (w/v) for 24 h. In addition, C. marina biofilms formed on G5/PDMS showed consistently lower cell count and thickness (up to 43% reductions) than PDMS. Biofilm architecture analysis indicated that mature biofilms developed on the graphene-based surface had fewer empty spaces (34% reduction) and reduced biovolume (25% reduction) compared to PDMS. Overall, the GNP-based surface inhibited C. marina biofilm development, showing promising potential as a marine antifouling coating.
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Affiliation(s)
- Francisca Sousa-Cardoso
- LEPABE—Laboratory for Process Engineering, Environment, Biotechnology and Energy, Faculty of Engineering, University of Porto, Rua Dr. Roberto Frias, 4200-465 Porto, Portugal
- ALiCE—Associate Laboratory in Chemical Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, University of Porto, Rua Dr. Roberto Frias, 4200-465 Porto, Portugal
| | - Rita Teixeira-Santos
- LEPABE—Laboratory for Process Engineering, Environment, Biotechnology and Energy, Faculty of Engineering, University of Porto, Rua Dr. Roberto Frias, 4200-465 Porto, Portugal
- ALiCE—Associate Laboratory in Chemical Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, University of Porto, Rua Dr. Roberto Frias, 4200-465 Porto, Portugal
| | - Ana Francisca Campos
- LEPABE—Laboratory for Process Engineering, Environment, Biotechnology and Energy, Faculty of Engineering, University of Porto, Rua Dr. Roberto Frias, 4200-465 Porto, Portugal
- ALiCE—Associate Laboratory in Chemical Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, University of Porto, Rua Dr. Roberto Frias, 4200-465 Porto, Portugal
| | - Marta Lima
- LEPABE—Laboratory for Process Engineering, Environment, Biotechnology and Energy, Faculty of Engineering, University of Porto, Rua Dr. Roberto Frias, 4200-465 Porto, Portugal
- ALiCE—Associate Laboratory in Chemical Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, University of Porto, Rua Dr. Roberto Frias, 4200-465 Porto, Portugal
| | - Luciana C. Gomes
- LEPABE—Laboratory for Process Engineering, Environment, Biotechnology and Energy, Faculty of Engineering, University of Porto, Rua Dr. Roberto Frias, 4200-465 Porto, Portugal
- ALiCE—Associate Laboratory in Chemical Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, University of Porto, Rua Dr. Roberto Frias, 4200-465 Porto, Portugal
| | - Olívia S. G. P. Soares
- ALiCE—Associate Laboratory in Chemical Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, University of Porto, Rua Dr. Roberto Frias, 4200-465 Porto, Portugal
- LSRE-LCM—Laboratory of Separation and Reaction Engineering—Laboratory of Catalysis and Materials, Faculty of Engineering, University of Porto, Rua Dr. Roberto Frias, 4200-465 Porto, Portugal
| | - Filipe J. Mergulhão
- LEPABE—Laboratory for Process Engineering, Environment, Biotechnology and Energy, Faculty of Engineering, University of Porto, Rua Dr. Roberto Frias, 4200-465 Porto, Portugal
- ALiCE—Associate Laboratory in Chemical Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, University of Porto, Rua Dr. Roberto Frias, 4200-465 Porto, Portugal
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Unveiling the Antifouling Performance of Different Marine Surfaces and Their Effect on the Development and Structure of Cyanobacterial Biofilms. Microorganisms 2021; 9:microorganisms9051102. [PMID: 34065462 PMCID: PMC8161073 DOI: 10.3390/microorganisms9051102] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/31/2021] [Revised: 05/10/2021] [Accepted: 05/17/2021] [Indexed: 01/12/2023] Open
Abstract
Since biofilm formation by microfoulers significantly contributes to the fouling process, it is important to evaluate the performance of marine surfaces to prevent biofilm formation, as well as understand their interactions with microfoulers and how these affect biofilm development and structure. In this study, the long-term performance of five surface materials—glass, perspex, polystyrene, epoxy-coated glass, and a silicone hydrogel coating—in inhibiting biofilm formation by cyanobacteria was evaluated. For this purpose, cyanobacterial biofilms were developed under controlled hydrodynamic conditions typically found in marine environments, and the biofilm cell number, wet weight, chlorophyll a content, and biofilm thickness and structure were assessed after 49 days. In order to obtain more insight into the effect of surface properties on biofilm formation, they were characterized concerning their hydrophobicity and roughness. Results demonstrated that silicone hydrogel surfaces were effective in inhibiting cyanobacterial biofilm formation. In fact, biofilms formed on these surfaces showed a lower number of biofilm cells, chlorophyll a content, biofilm thickness, and percentage and size of biofilm empty spaces compared to remaining surfaces. Additionally, our results demonstrated that the surface properties, together with the features of the fouling microorganisms, have a considerable impact on marine biofouling potential.
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Faria SI, Teixeira-Santos R, Morais J, Vasconcelos V, Mergulhão FJ. The association between initial adhesion and cyanobacterial biofilm development. FEMS Microbiol Ecol 2021; 97:6204666. [PMID: 33784393 DOI: 10.1093/femsec/fiab052] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/19/2020] [Accepted: 03/25/2021] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Although laboratory assays provide valuable information about the antifouling effectiveness of marine surfaces and the dynamics of biofilm formation, they may be laborious and time-consuming. This study aimed to determine the potential of short-time adhesion assays to estimate how biofilm development may proceed. The initial adhesion and cyanobacterial biofilm formation were evaluated using glass and polymer epoxy resin surfaces under different hydrodynamic conditions and were compared using linear regression models. For initial adhesion, the polymer epoxy resin surface was significantly associated with a lower number of adhered cells compared with glass (-1.27 × 105 cells.cm-2). Likewise, the number of adhered cells was significantly lower (-1.16 × 105 cells.cm-2) at 185 than at 40 rpm. This tendency was maintained during biofilm development and was supported by the biofilm wet weight, thickness, chlorophyll a content and structure. Results indicated a significant correlation between the number of adhered and biofilm cells (r = 0.800, p < 0.001). Moreover, the number of biofilm cells on day 42 was dependent on the number of adhered cells at the end of the initial adhesion and hydrodynamic conditions (R2 = 0.795, p < 0.001). These findings demonstrate the high potential of initial adhesion assays to estimate marine biofilm development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sara I Faria
- LEPABE - Laboratory for Process Engineering, Environment, Biotechnology and Energy, Faculty of Engineering, University of Porto, Rua Dr. Roberto Frias, 4200-465, Porto, Portugal
| | - Rita Teixeira-Santos
- LEPABE - Laboratory for Process Engineering, Environment, Biotechnology and Energy, Faculty of Engineering, University of Porto, Rua Dr. Roberto Frias, 4200-465, Porto, Portugal
| | - João Morais
- CIIMAR - Interdisciplinary Centre of Marine and Environmental Research, University of Porto, Terminal de Cruzeiros do Porto de Leixões, Avenida General Norton de Matos, S/N, 4450-208, Matosinhos, Portugal
| | - Vitor Vasconcelos
- CIIMAR - Interdisciplinary Centre of Marine and Environmental Research, University of Porto, Terminal de Cruzeiros do Porto de Leixões, Avenida General Norton de Matos, S/N, 4450-208, Matosinhos, Portugal.,FCUP - Faculty of Sciences, University of Porto, Rua do Campo Alegre, 4069-007, Porto, Portugal
| | - Filipe J Mergulhão
- LEPABE - Laboratory for Process Engineering, Environment, Biotechnology and Energy, Faculty of Engineering, University of Porto, Rua Dr. Roberto Frias, 4200-465, Porto, Portugal
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Developing New Marine Antifouling Surfaces: Learning from Single-Strain Laboratory Tests. COATINGS 2021. [DOI: 10.3390/coatings11010090] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/31/2023]
Abstract
The development of antifouling (AF) technology for marine environments is an area of intense research given the severe economic and ecological effects of marine biofouling. Preliminary data from in vitro assays is frequently used to screen the performance of AF coatings. It is intuitive that microbial composition plays a major role in surface colonization. The rationale behind this study is to investigate whether using a mixed population for the in vitro tests yields substantially different results than using single strains during initial screening. A polymeric coating was tested against single- and dual-species cultures of two common microfouler organisms for 49 days. A bacterium (Pseudoaltermonas tunicata) and a cyanobacterium (Cyanobium sp. LEGE 10375) were used in this study. Linear regression analysis revealed that Cyanobium sp. biofilms were significantly associated with a higher number of cells, wet weight, thickness, and biovolume compared to dual-species biofilms. P. tunicata alone had a biofilm growth kinetics similar to dual-species biofilms, although the P. tunicata–Cyanobium sp. mixture developed less dense and thinner biofilms compared to both single-species biofilms. Cyanobium sp. LEGE 10375 biofilms provided the worst-case scenario, i.e., the conditions that caused higher biofilm amounts on the surface material under test. Therefore, it is likely that assessing the AF performance of new coatings using the most stringent conditions may yield more robust results than using a mixed population, as competition between microfouler organisms may reduce the biofilm formation capacity of the consortium.
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Faÿ F, Gouessan M, Linossier I, Réhel K. Additives for Efficient Biodegradable Antifouling Paints. Int J Mol Sci 2019; 20:E361. [PMID: 30654517 PMCID: PMC6358926 DOI: 10.3390/ijms20020361] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/20/2018] [Revised: 01/11/2019] [Accepted: 01/13/2019] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
The evolution of regulations concerning biocidal products aims to increase protection of the environment (e.g., EU Regulation No 528/2012) and requires the development of new non-toxic anti-fouling (AF) systems. The development of these formulations implies the use of ingredients (polymers, active substances, additives) that are devoid of toxicity towards marine environments. In this context, the use of erodable antifouling paints based on biodegradable polymer and authorized biocides responds to this problem. However, the efficiency of paints could be improved by the use of specific additives. For this purpose, three additives acting as surface modifiers were studied (Tween 80, Span 85 and PEG-silane). Their effects on parameters involved in antifouling efficiency as hydrophobicity, hydration and copper release were studied. Results showed that the addition of 3% of additives modulated hydrophobicity and hydration without an increase of copper release and significantly reduced microfouling development. Efficient paints based on biodegradable polymer and with no organic biocide could be obtained by mixing copper thiocyanate and additives.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fabienne Faÿ
- Université Bretagne Sud, EA 3884, LBCM, IUEM, F-56100 Lorient, France.
| | - Maëlle Gouessan
- Université Bretagne Sud, EA 3884, LBCM, IUEM, F-56100 Lorient, France.
| | | | - Karine Réhel
- Université Bretagne Sud, EA 3884, LBCM, IUEM, F-56100 Lorient, France.
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Hwang UK, Choi H, Park YH, Park NY, Jang SJ, Lee SM, Choi YS, Yang JY, Lee JW. Toxicity Assessment of Antifouling Agent using the Survival and Population Growth Rate of Marine Rotifer, Brachionus plicatilis. ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 2018. [DOI: 10.11626/kjeb.2018.36.3.392] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/24/2022]
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