Initial bacterial deposition on bare and zeolite-coated aluminum alloy and stainless steel

Zeolite in tissue engineering: Opportunities and challenges

Tissue engineering and regenerative medicine follow a multidisciplinary attitude to the expansion and application of new materials for the treatment of different tissue defects. Typically, proper tissue regeneration is accomplished through concurrent biocompatibility and positive cellular activity. This can be resulted by the smart selection of platforms among bewildering arrays of structural possibilities with various porosity properties (ie, pore size, pore connectivity, etc). Among diverse porous structures, zeolite is known as a microporous tectosilicate that can potentially provide a biological microenvironment in tissue engineering applications. In addition, zeolite has been particularly appeared promising in wound dressing and bone‐ and tooth‐oriented scaffolds. The wide range of composition and hierarchical pore structure renders the zeolitic materials a unique character, particularly, for tissue engineering purposes. Despite such unique features, research on zeolitic platforms for tissue engineering has not been classically presented. In this review, we overview, classify, and categorize zeolitic platforms employed in biological and tissue engineering applications.

Applications of zeolites in biotechnology and medicine – a review

Zeolites are microporous natural or synthetic tectosilicates, promising for organism detoxification, improvement of the nutrition status and immunity, separation of various biomolecules and cells, detection of biomarkers of various diseases, controlled drug and gene delivery, radical scavenging, haemostasis, tissue engineering and biomaterial coating.

Efficacy of post-harvest rinsing and bleach disinfection of E. coli O157:H7 on spinach leaf surfaces

Attachment and detachment kinetics of Escherichia coli O157:H7 from baby spinach leaf epicuticle layers were investigated using a parallel plate flow chamber. Mass transfer rate coefficients were used to determine the impact of water chemistry and common bleach disinfection rinses on the removal and inactivation of the pathogen. Attachment mass transfer rate coefficients generally increased with ionic strength. Detachment mass transfer rate coefficients were nearly the same in KCl and AGW rinses; however, the detachment phase lasted longer in KCl than AGW (18 ± 4 min and 4 ± 2 min, respectively), indicating that the ions present during attachment play a significant role in the cells' ability to remain attached. Specifically, increasing bleach rinse concentration by two orders of magnitude was found to increase the detachment mass transfer rate coefficient by 20 times (from 5.7 ± 0.7 × 10^-11 m/s to 112.1 ± 26.8 × 10^-11 m/s for 10 ppb and 1000 ppb, respectively), and up to 88 ± 4% of attached cells remained alive. The spinach leaf texture was incorporated within a COMSOL model of disinfectant concentration gradients, which revealed nearly 15% of the leaf surface is exposed to almost 1000 times lower concentration than the bulk rinse solution.

Role of biofilm roughness and hydrodynamic conditions in Legionella pneumophila adhesion to and detachment from simulated drinking water biofilms

Biofilms in drinking water distribution systems (DWDS) could exacerbate the persistence and associated risks of pathogenic Legionella pneumophila (L. pneumophila), thus raising human health concerns. However, mechanisms controlling adhesion and subsequent detachment of L. pneumophila associated with biofilms remain unclear. We determined the connection between L. pneumophila adhesion and subsequent detachment with biofilm physical structure characterization using optical coherence tomography (OCT) imaging technique. Analysis of the OCT images of multispecies biofilms grown under low nutrient condition up to 34 weeks revealed the lack of biofilm deformation even when these biofilms were exposed to flow velocity of 0.7 m/s, typical flow for DWDS. L. pneumophila adhesion on these biofilm under low flow velocity (0.007 m/s) positively correlated with biofilm roughness due to enlarged biofilm surface area and local flow conditions created by roughness asperities. The preadhered L. pneumophila on selected rough and smooth biofilms were found to detach when these biofilms were subjected to higher flow velocity. At the flow velocity of 0.1 and 0.3 m/s, the ratio of detached cell from the smooth biofilm surface was from 1.3 to 1.4 times higher than that from the rough biofilm surface, presumably because of the low shear stress zones near roughness asperities. This study determined that physical structure and local hydrodynamics control L. pneumophila adhesion to and detachment from simulated drinking water biofilm, thus it is the first step toward reducing the risk of L. pneumophila exposure and subsequent infections.

Deposition and disinfection of Escherichia coli O157:H7 on naturally occurring photoactive materials in a parallel plate chamber

Dissolved organic matter in combination with iron oxides has been shown to facilitate photochemical disinfection through the production of reactive oxygen species (ROS) under UV and visible light. However, due to the extremely short lifetime of these radicals, the disinfection efficiency is limited by the successful transport of ROS to bacterial surfaces. This study was designed to quantitatively investigate three collector surfaces with various potentials to produce ROS [bare quartz, hematite (α-Fe2O3) coated quartz, and Suwannee River humic acid (SRHA)] and the effects of extracellular polymeric substance (EPS) (full or partial coating) and solution chemistry (ionic strength, IS) on the interactions between bacteria and the ROS-producing substrates. With few exceptions, bacterial deposition studies in a parallel plate (PP) flow chamber have revealed increasing cell adhesion with IS. Furthermore, interactions between collector surfaces and cells can be explained by electrostatic forces, with negatively charged SRHA reducing and positively charged α-Fe2O3 enhancing bacterial deposition significantly. Increased deposition was also observed with full EPS content, indicating the ability of EPS to facilitate interaction between cells and surfaces in the aquatic environment. In complementary disinfection studies conducted with simulated light, viability loss was observed for cells fully coated with EPS when attached to α-Fe2O3 under all IS conditions. Based upon our prior study in which EPS was found to not inhibit hydroxyl radical activity toward bacteria, we proposed that EPS might therefore promote disinfection by facilitating cell attachment to ROS-producing surfaces where higher concentrations of ROS are expected at closer proximities to reactive substrates (e.g., SRHA and α-Fe2O3). Our findings on the mechanism and controlling factors of cell interactions with photoactive substrates provide insight as to the role of ionic strength in photochemical disinfection processes.

The influence of antiscalants on biofouling of RO membranes in seawater desalination

Antiscalants are surface active polyelectrolyte compounds commonly used in reverse osmosis (RO) desalination processes to avoid membrane scaling. In spite of the significant roles of antiscalants in preventing membrane scaling, they are prone to enhance biofilm growth on RO membranes by either altering membrane surface properties or by serving as nutritional source for microorganisms. In this study, the contribution of antiscalants to membrane biofouling in seawater desalination was investigated. The effects of two commonly used antiscalants, polyphosphonate- and polyacrylate-based, were tested. The effects of RO membrane (DOW-Filmtec SW30 HRLE-400) exposure to antiscalants on its physico-chemical properties were studied, including the consequent effects on initial deposition and growth of the sessile microorganisms on the RO membrane surface. The effects of antiscalants on membrane physico-chemical properties were investigated by filtration of seawater supplemented with the antiscalants through flat-sheet RO membrane and changes in surface zeta potential and hydrophobicity were delineated. Adsorption of antiscalants to polyamide surfaces simulating RO membrane's polyamide layer and their effects on the consequent bacterial adhesion was tested using a quartz crystal microbalance with dissipation monitoring technology (QCM-D) and direct fluorescent microscopy. A significant increase in biofilm formation rate on RO membranes surface was observed in the presence of both types of antiscalants. Polyacrylate-based antiscalant was shown to enhance initial cell attachment as observed with the QCM-D and a parallel plate flow cell, due to rendering the polyamide surface more hydrophobic. Polyphosphonate-based antiscalants also increased biofilm formation rate, most likely by serving as an additional source of phosphorous to the seawater microbial population. A thicker biofilm layer was formed on the RO membrane when the polyacrylate-based antiscalant was used. Following these results, a wise selection of antiscalants for scaling control should take into account their contribution to membrane biofouling propensity.

Deposition and survival of Escherichia coli O157:H7 on clay minerals in a parallel plate flow system

Understanding bacterial pathogens deposition and survival processes in the soil-groundwater system is crucial to protect public health from soilborne and waterborne diseases. However, mechanisms of bacterial pathogen-clay interactions are not well studied, particularly in dynamic systems. Also, little is known about the viability of bacterial pathogens when attached to clays. In this study, a parallel plate flow system was used to determine the deposition kinetics and survival of Escherichia coli O157:H7 on montmorillonite, kaolinite, and goethite over a wide range of ionic strengths (IS) (0.1-100 mM KCl). E. coli O157:H7 deposition on the positively charged goethite is greater than that on the negatively charged kaolinite and montmorillonite. Although the zeta potential of kaolinite was more negative than that of montmorillonite, kaolinite showed a greater deposition for E. coli O157:H7 than montmorillonite, which is attributed to the chemical heterogeneity of clay minerals. Overall, increasing IS resulted in an increase of E. coli O157:H7 deposition on montmorillonite and kaolinite, and a decrease on goethite. Interaction energy calculations suggest that E. coli O157:H7 deposition on clays was largely governed by DLVO (Derjaguin-Landau-Verwey-Overbeek) forces. The loss of bacterial membrane integrity was investigated as a function of time using the Live/Dead BacLight viability assay. During the examined period of 6 h, E. coli O157:H7 retained its viability in suspension and when attached to montmorillonite and kaolinite; however, interaction with the goethite was detrimental. The information obtained in this study is of fundamental significance for the understanding of the fate of bacterial pathogens in soil environments.

Short-term adhesion and long-term biofouling testing of polydopamine and poly(ethylene glycol) surface modifications of membranes and feed spacers for biofouling control

Ultrafiltration, nanofiltration membranes and feed spacers were hydrophilized with polydopamine and polydopamine-g-poly(ethylene glycol) surface coatings. The fouling propensity of modified and unmodified membranes was evaluated by short-term batch protein and bacterial adhesion tests. The fouling propensity of modified and unmodified membranes and spacers was evaluated by continuous biofouling experiments in a membrane fouling simulator. The goals of the study were: 1) to determine the effectiveness of polydopamine and polydopamine-g-poly(ethylene glycol) membrane coatings for biofouling control and 2) to compare techniques commonly used in assessment of membrane biofouling propensity with biofouling experiments under practical conditions. Short-term adhesion tests were carried out under static, no-flow conditions for 1 h using bovine serum albumin, a common model globular protein, and Pseudomonas aeruginosa, a common model Gram-negative bacterium. Biofouling tests were performed in a membrane fouling simulator (MFS) for several days under flow conditions similar to those encountered in industrial modules with the autochthonous drinking water population and acetate dosage as organic substrate. Polydopamine- and polydopamine-g-poly(ethylene glycol)-modified membranes showed significantly reduced adhesion of bovine serum albumin and P. aeruginosa in the short-term adhesion tests, but no reduction of biofouling was observed during longer biofouling experiments with modified membranes and spacers. These results demonstrate that short-term batch adhesion experiments using model proteins or bacteria under static conditions are not indicative of biofouling, while continuous biofouling experiments showed that membrane surface modification by polydopamine and polydopamine-g-poly(ethylene glycol) is not effective for biofouling control.

Combined factors influencing the aggregation and deposition of nano-TiO2 in the presence of humic acid and bacteria

This study investigates the contributions of natural organic matter (NOM) and bacteria to the aggregation and deposition of TiO(2) nanoparticles (TNPs) in aquatic environments. Transport experiments with TNPs were conducted in a microscopic parallel plate system and a macroscopic packed-bed column using fluorescently tagged E. coli as a model organism and Suwannee River Humic Acid as a representative NOM. Notably, TNPs were labeled with fluorescein isothiocyanate allowing particles and cells to be simultaneously visualized with a fluorescent microscope. Results from both experimental systems revealed that interactions among TNPs, NOM, and bacteria exhibited a significant dependence on solution chemistry (pH 5 and 7) and ion valence (K(+) and Ca(2+)), and that these interactions subsequently affect TNPs deposition. NOM and E. coli significantly reduced deposition of TNPs, with NOM having a greater stabilizing influence than bacteria. Ca(2+) ions played a significant role in these interactions, promoting formation of large clusters of TNPs, NOM, and bacteria. TNPs transport in the presence of both NOM and E. coli resulted in much less deposition than in the presence of NOM or E. coli alone, indicating a complex combination of interactions involved in stabilization. Generally, over the aquatic conditions considered, the extent of TNPs deposition follows: without NOM or bacteria > with bacteria only > with NOM only > combined bacteria and NOM. This trend should allow better prediction of the fate of TNPs in complex aquatic systems.

Interaction energy evaluation of soluble microbial products (SMP) on different membrane surfaces: role of the reconstructed membrane topology

Soluble microbial products (SMP), a majority of organic matter in effluents, play a key role in membrane fouling. A series of filtration experiments were conducted, and demonstrated that the flux decrement rate was in order of cellulose acetate membrane (CA, 65.4%), polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF, 47.9%) and polyether sulfones (PES, 29.2%). Results showed that the fouling behavior of membrane should be predicted from the combined knowledge of solution chemistry, surface chemical properties and surface morphology. To better understand the interactions between the SMP and different membranes, a technique for reconstructing the membrane surface topology was developed on the basis of statistical parameters obtained from atomic force microscopy. The interaction energy, represented by extended Derjaguin-Landau-Verwey-Overbeek (XDLVO) potential, was calculated by surface element integration, allowing exploring the interaction energy profiles for different surfaces and providing considerable insights into the role of such interactions on the macroscopic fouling behavior. The resulting interaction energy differed considerably from the corresponding interaction between perfectly smooth surfaces. The great influence of protrusion on the membrane surface was to reduce the primary energy barrier height, thus rendering rough surface more favorable for deposition. An attractive energy region was immediately surrounded by each positive asperity as demonstrated in the roughness-engendered interaction energy maps. As the SMP approached closer to the membrane, they had a high probability of getting trapped in the attractive energy region, leading to a more rapid loss of flux than smooth membrane.

Deposition mechanisms of TiO2 nanoparticles in a parallel plate system

In this study, a microscope-based technique was utilized to understand the fundamental mechanisms involved in deposition of TiO(2) nanoparticles (TNPs). Transport and deposition studies were conducted in a parallel plate (PP) flow chamber with TNP labeled with fluorescein isothiocyanate (FITC) for visualization. Attachment of FITC-labeled TNPs on surfaces is a function of a combination of parameters, including ionic strength (IS), pH and flowrate. Significantly higher deposition rates were observed at pH 5 versus pH 7. This is attributed to the conditions being chemically favorable for deposition at pH 5 as compared to pH 7, as predicted by DLVO theory. Additionally, deposition rates at pH 5 were reduced with IS below 10 mM due to the decrease in range of electrostatic attractive forces. Above 10 mM, aggregate size increased, resulting in higher deposition rates. At pH 7, no deposition was observed below 10 mM and above this concentration, deposition increased with IS. The impact of flowrate was also observed, with decreasing flowrate leading to greater deposition due to the reduction in drag force acting on the aggregate (regardless of pH). Comparisons between experimental and theoretical approximations indicate that non-DLVO type forces also play a significant role. This combination of observations suggest that the deposition of these model nanoparticles on glass surfaces was controlled by a combination of DLVO and non-DLVO-type forces, shear rate, aggregation state, and gravitational force acting on TNPs.

Bacterial attachment to RO membranes surface-modified by concentration-polarization-enhanced graft polymerization

Concentration polarization-enhanced radical graft polymerization, a facile surface modification technique, was examined as an approach to reduce bacterial deposition onto RO membranes and thus contribute to mitigation of biofouling. For this purpose an RO membrane ESPA-1 was surface-grafted with a zwitterionic and negatively and positively charged monomers. The low monomer concentrations and low degrees of grafting employed in modifications moderately reduced flux (by 20-40%) and did not affect salt rejection, yet produced substantial changes in surface chemistry, charge and hydrophilicity. The propensity to bacterial attachment of original and modified membranes was assessed using bacterial deposition tests carried out in a parallel plate flow setup using a fluorescent strain of Pseudomonas fluorescens. Compared to unmodified ESPA-1 the deposition (mass transfer) coefficient was significantly increased for modification with the positively charged monomer. On the other hand, a substantial reduction in bacterial deposition rates was observed for membranes modified with zwitterionic monomer and, still more, with very hydrophilic negatively charged monomers. This trend is well explained by the effects of surface charge (as measured by ζ-potential) and hydrophilicity (contact angle). It also well correlated with force distance measurements by AFM using surrogate spherical probes with a negative surface charge mimicking the bacterial surface. The positively charged surface showed a strong hysteresis with a large adhesion force, which was weaker for unmodified ESPA-1 and still weaker for zwitterionic surface, while negatively charged surface showed a long-range repulsion and negligible hysteresis. These results demonstrate the potential of using the proposed surface- modification approach for varying surface characteristics, charge and hydrophilicity, and thus minimizing bacterial deposition and potentially reducing propensity biofouling.

Initial colloid deposition on bare and zeolite-coated stainless steel and aluminum: influence of surface roughness

The impact of surface roughness of bare and zeolite ZSM-5 coated stainless steel and aluminum alloy on colloid deposition has been investigated using a parallel plate flow chamber system in an aqueous environment. The metals were systematically polished to alter the surface roughness from nanoscale to microscale, with the subsequent surface roughness of both the bare and coated surfaces varying from 11.2 to 706 nm. The stainless steel and aluminum alloy surfaces are extensively characterized, both as bare and as coated surfaces. Experimental results suggest that ZSM-5 coating and surface roughness have a pronounced impact on the kinetics of the colloid deposition. The ZSM-5 coating reduced colloid adhesion compared to the corresponding bare metal surface. In general, the greater surface roughness of like samples resulted in higher colloid deposition. Primarily, this is due to greater surface roughness inducing less reduction in the attractive interactions occurring between colloids and collector surfaces. This effect was sensitive to ionic strength and was found to be more pronounced at lower ionic strength conditions. For the most electrostatically unfavorable scenario (ZSM-5 coatings in 1 mM KNO(3)), the enhanced deposition may also be attributed to inherent surface charge heterogeneity of ZSM-5 coatings due to aluminum in the crystalline structure. The two exceptions are ZSM-5 coated mirror-polished stainless steel and the unpolished aluminum surfaces, which are rougher than the other two samples of the same metal type but result in the least deposition. The reasons for these observations are discussed, as well as the effect of surface charge and hydrophobicity on the adhesion. The relative importance of surface roughness versus contributions of electrostatic interactions and hydrophobicity to the colloid deposition is also discussed.

Zeolite thin films: from computer chips to space stations

Zeolites are a class of crystalline oxides that have uniform and molecular-sized pores (3-12 A in diameter). Although natural zeolites were first discovered in 1756, significant commercial development did not begin until the 1950s when synthetic zeolites with high purity and controlled chemical composition became available. Since then, major commercial applications of zeolites have been limited to catalysis, adsorption, and ion exchange, all using zeolites in powder form. Although researchers have widely investigated zeolite thin films within the last 15 years, most of these studies were motivated by the potential application of these materials as separation membranes and membrane reactors. In the last decade, we have recognized and demonstrated that zeolite thin films can have new, diverse, and economically significant applications that others had not previously considered. In this Account, we highlight our work on the development of zeolite thin films as low-dielectric constant (low-k) insulators for future generation computer chips, environmentally benign corrosion-resistant coatings for aerospace alloys, and hydrophilic and microbiocidal coatings for gravity-independent water separation in space stations. Although these three applications might not seem directly related, they all rely on the ability to fine-tune important macroscopic properties of zeolites by changing their ratio of silicon to aluminum. For example, pure-silica zeolites (PSZs, Si/Al = infinity) are hydrophobic, acid stable, and have no ion exchange capacity, while low-silica zeolites (LSZs, Si/Al < 2) are hydrophilic, acid soluble, and have a high ion exchange capacity. These new thin films also take advantage of some unique properties of zeolites that have not been exploited before, such as a higher elastic modulus, hardness, and heat conductivity than those of amorphous porous silicas, and microbiocidal capabilities derived from their ion exchange capacities. Finally, we briefly discuss our more recent work on polycrystalline zeolite thin films as promising biocompatible coatings and environmentally benign wear-resistant and antifouling coatings. When zeolites are incorporated into polymer thin films in the form of nanocrystals, we also show that the resultant composite membranes can significantly improve the performance of reverse osmosis membranes for sea water desalination and proton exchange membrane fuel cells. These diverse applications of zeolites have the potential to initiate new industries while revolutionizing existing ones with a potential economic impact that could extend into the hundreds of billions of dollars. We have licensed several of these inventions to companies with millions of dollars invested in their commercial development. We expect that other related technologies will be licensed in the near future.

Electrokinetics of diffuse soft interfaces. IV. Analysis of streaming current measurements at thermoresponsive thin films

Streaming current measurements were performed on poly(N-isopropylacrylamide)-co-N-(1-phenylethyl) acrylamide [P(NIPAAm-co-PEAAm)] thermoresponsive thin films above and below the transition temperature of the polymer (i.e., at 22 and 4 degrees C, respectively). Electrokinetic measurements (ionic strength 0.01-10 mM KCl, pH 2.5-9.5 in 1 mM KCl) revealed that the charging of the polymer/aqueous solution interface is determined by unsymmetrical adsorption of hydroxide and hydronium ions onto the Teflon AF substrate that supports the hydrogel film. The magnitude of the streaming current significantly decreased with decreasing temperature, that is, when the hydrogel was swelling. The pH- and ionic strength-dependent data for unswollen and swollen films were interpreted on the basis of the here-reported general theory for the electrokinetics of diffuse soft gel layers. The formalism based on the Debye-Brinkman equation for hydrodynamics and the nonlinear Poisson-Boltzmann equation for electrostatics extends previous theoretical studies by considering the most general situation of a charged gel layer supported by a charged rigid surface. Full analytical expression is provided for the streaming current in the limit of homogeneous distribution of segments under low potential conditions. Numerical analysis of the governing transport and electrostatic equations allows for the computation of streaming current for cases where analytical developments are not possible. The theory successfully reproduces the electrokinetic data for the P(NIPAAm-co-PEAAm) copolymer film at 22 and 4 degrees C over the whole range of pH and ionic strength examined. It is found that the 3-fold increase of the hydrogel film thickness with decreasing temperature from 22 to 4 degrees C (i.e., from 23 to 70 nm as measured by ellipsometry), is in line with homogeneous swelling and an increase of the hydrodynamic penetration length (1/lambdao) by a factor of approximately 1.6. Additionally, the hydrodynamic thicknesses (deltaH) of the swollen and unswollen hydrogels are evaluated in terms of their respective hydrodynamic penetration length and electrosurface characteristics of the supporting Teflon AF surface.