title: Antimicrobial effects of a microemulsion and a nanoemulsion on enteric and other pathogens and biofilms.
abstract: Some microemulsions and nanoemulsions may have antimicrobial properties and be effective anti-biofilm agents. We examined the abilities of two fine emulsions, designated BCTP and TEOP, to inactivate suspensions of vegetative cells of Salmonella spp. Escherichia coli 0157:H7 (VT-), Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Staphylococcus aureus and Listeria monocytogenes. BCTP is an O/W nanoemulsion of soybean oil and tri-n-butyl phosphate emulsified with Triton X-100, while TEOP is an O/W microemulsion of ethyl oleate with Tween 80 as emulsifier and n-pentanol as a co-emulsifier. BCTP was effective in reducing the cell numbers of L. monocytogenes, while TEOP was effective against all five organisms investigated. The abilities of these emulsions to reduce preformed biofilms of the five bacteria were also investigated. With the exception of the biofilm formed by L. monocytogenes, which surprisingly was not significantly affected by BCTP, all biofilms were inhibited by both BCTP and TEOP.
authors.affiliation: Escola Superior de Biotecnologia, R. Dr. António Bernardino de Almeida, 4200-072 Porto, Portugal. pcteixeira@esb.ucp.pt
authors.forename: Paula C
authors.initials: PC
authors.lastname: Teixeira
authors.forename: Gonçalo M
authors.initials: GM
authors.lastname: Leite
authors.forename: Ricardo J
authors.initials: RJ
authors.lastname: Domingues
authors.forename: Joana
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Silva
authors.forename: Paul A
authors.initials: PA
authors.lastname: Gibbs
authors.forename: João Paulo
authors.initials: JP
authors.lastname: Ferreira
mesh_terms: D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents / Q000494:pharmacology*; D018407:Bacterial Physiological Phenomena / Q000187:drug effects*; D018441:Biofilms / Q000254:growth & development*; D015169:Colony Count, Microbial; D004655:Emulsions / Q000494:pharmacology*; D004866:Equipment Contamination / Q000517:prevention & control; D019453:Escherichia coli O157 / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology; D005516:Food Microbiology; D005519:Food Preservation / Q000379:methods; D005525:Food-Processing Industry / Q000592:standards*; D008089:Listeria monocytogenes / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology; D008826:Microbial Sensitivity Tests; D011550:Pseudomonas aeruginosa / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology; D012475:Salmonella / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology; D012499:Sanitation / Q000379:methods; D013211:Staphylococcus aureus / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology
chemical_list: D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents; D004655:Emulsions