Abstract
The COVID-19 Pandemic leads to an increased worldwide demand for personal protection equipment in the medical field, such as face masks. New approaches to satisfy this demand have been developed, and one example is the use of 3D printing face masks. The reusable 3D printed mask may also have a positive effect on the environment due to decreased littering. However, the microbial load on the 3D printed objects is often disregarded. Here we analyze the biofilm formation of Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Staphylococcus aureus, and Escherichia coli on suspected antimicrobial Plactive™ PLA 3D printing filaments and non-antimicrobial Giantarm™ PLA. To characterize the biofilm-forming potential scanning electron microscopy (SEM), Confocal scanning electron microscopy (CLSM) and colony-forming unit assays (CFU) were performed. Attached cells could be observed on all tested 3D printing materials. Gram-negative strains P. aeruginosa and E. coli reveal a strong uniform growth independent of the tested 3D filament (for P. aeruginosa even with stressed induced growth reaction by Plactive™). Only Gram-positive S. aureus shows strong growth reduction on Plactive™. These results suggest that the postulated antimicrobial Plactive™ PLA does not affect Gram-negative bacteria species. These results indicate that reusable masks, while better for our environment, may pose another health risk.
Highlights
In the COVID‐19 pandemic, the demand for medical devices such as face masks to reduce viral spread has increased enormously
We analyzed the biofilm formation of Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Staphylococcus aureus, and Escherichia coli on PlactiveTM and GiantarmTM PLA 3D printed samples by scanning electron microscopy (SEM)
These ultrastructural images show that P. aeruginosa undergoes the initial stages of biofilm maturation after only 24h on both materials
Summary
In the COVID‐19 pandemic, the demand for medical devices such as face masks to reduce viral spread has increased enormously. A recent review has provided evidence that the wearing of masks reduced the transmission of infected respiratory particles by filtering [2]. While the priority of a face mask is to avoid viral delivery, the potential risk of microbial contamination for the mask wearer should not be underestimated. There is a strong demand for medical devices, resulting in shortages in personal protective equipment in many countries. There has been tremendous pressure on hospitals and researchers to find new and reusable protective equipment. The need for equipment in the medical field and the effect of single‐use supplies on the environment demands different approaches for personal protective equipment
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