Development of pure culture biofilms of P. putida on solid supports

Abstract

Pseudomonas putida biofilms were developed on and biofilm accumulation rate data were obtained for the following two classes of support materials: charged surfaces and noncharged hydrophobic and hydrophilic surfaces. The effects of surface roughness and porosity on the rate of microbial attachment were also examined. Materials bearing a net positive or negative surface charge supported the greatest biofilm accumulation and the highest biofilm accumulation rate. Uncharged hydrophobic materials achieved the next greatest biofilm accumulation, averaging approximately 50% of the total biomass which was accumulated on the charged surface materials after 16 days. Uncharged hydrophilic materials supported very little biofilm development. In general, biofilm accumulation increased with decreased surface roughness. The effect of pore size on biofilm accumulation was not conclusive.The biofilm accumulation kinetics showed an exponential accumulation rate for the charged surfaces and an approximately linear accumulation rate for the hydrophobic materials. This difference in accumulation kinetics is consistent with proposed differences in the physicochemical mechanism governing attachment to these two types of surface materials.