In vitro laser ablation of natural marine biofilms.
We studied the efficiency of pulsed low-power laser irradiation of 532 nm from an Nd:YAG (neodymium-doped yttrium-aluminum-garnet) laser to remove marine biofilm developed on titanium and glass coupons. Natural biofilms with thicknesses of 79.4 +/- 27.8 microm (titanium) and 107.4 +/- 28.5 microm (glass) were completely disrupted by 30 s of laser irradiation (fluence, 0.1 J/cm2). Laser irradiation significantly reduced the number of diatoms and bacteria in the biofilm (paired t test; P < 0.05). The removal was better on titanium than on glass coupons.
Nandakumar
Kanavillil
K
Great Lakes Institute for Environmental Research, University of Windsor, Ontario, Canada. nandakumar.kanavillil@lakeheadu.ca
Obika
Hideki
H
Utsumi
Akihiro
A
Ooie
Toshihiko
T
Yano
Tetsuo
T
D000535:Aluminum; D018441:Biofilms / Q000254:growth & development / Q000528:radiation effects*; D017377:Diatoms / Q000254:growth & development / Q000528:radiation effects*; D004307:Dose-Response Relationship, Radiation; D005898:Glass; D007834:Lasers; D009354:Neodymium; D031161:Pseudoalteromonas / Q000254:growth & development / Q000528:radiation effects*; D011829:Radiation Dosage; D012623:Seawater / Q000382:microbiology; D014025:Titanium; D015019:Yttrium
D009354:Neodymium; D015019:Yttrium; D000535:Aluminum; D014025:Titanium