Effect on Thermal Ink-jet Printing on Bacterial Cells

Abstract

Ink jetting is a technique with varied applications. The process of bubble/droplet formation of thermal ink jet printers is one that is known to involve a high temperature. This high temperature is however localized and short-lived. Investigations are hereby carried out to evaluate the effect of thermal droplet formation on bacterial cells. Bacterial viability tests were done by colony plate counting and measurement of bacterial absorbance after thermal ink jetting. Bacterial cells were also printed directly onto agar coated glass slides using different templates and incubated. The effect of thermal ink jetting on bacterial cell wall was also conducted by gram staining ink jetted cells. The results obtained indicated that the process of bubble formation did not have any significant effect on bacterial viability as compared to the pipetted versions. Also, bacteria printed directly onto agar gave colonies similar to templates used in printing. Gram staining experiments revealed that the bacterial cells still maintained ability to give a positive gram stain test.