title: Linearized kinetic model of Listeria monocytogenes biofilm growth.
abstract: In this study the dynamics of biofilm formation on aluminum has been investigated. The process of cell growth has been observed using fluorescence microscopy. It has been confirmed that the process of biofilm formation can be represented as a sum of two separate processes: cell adhesion and colony proliferation. The derived set of equations describes kinetics of surface population growth and characteristic times for adsorption and combined growth processes, including characteristic time for the nutrient supply depletion. All equations contain variables based on the fundamental characteristics of bacterial population and can be easily determined from the experimental data or estimated theoretically. The developed theoretical model allows obtaining realistic values for population growth time and characteristic time for nutrient limitation occurrence during the biofilm development. Resulting equations qualitatively describe the biofilm formation process, and allow predicting microbial kinetics in the batch reactor system and determining critical values of the process parameters.
authors.affiliation: Department of Food Science, Rutgers University, New Brunswick, NJ 08901, USA. takhistov@aesop.rutgers.edu
authors.forename: Paul
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Takhistov
authors.forename: Bernice
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: George
mesh_terms: D000535:Aluminum; D018441:Biofilms / Q000254:growth & development*; D019149:Bioreactors / Q000382:microbiology*; D002448:Cell Adhesion / Q000502:physiology; D018929:Cell Culture Techniques / Q000379:methods*; D049109:Cell Proliferation; D003198:Computer Simulation; D007700:Kinetics; D016014:Linear Models; D008089:Listeria monocytogenes / Q000166:cytology* / Q000502:physiology*; D008954:Models, Biological
chemical_list: D000535:Aluminum