title: Vanillin, a potential agent to prevent biofouling of reverse osmosis membrane.
abstract: Reverse osmosis (RO) membrane systems are widely used in water purification plants. Reduction in plant performance due to biofilm formation over the membrane is an inherent problem. As quorum sensing (QS) mechanisms of microorganisms have been reported to be involved in the formation of biofilm, ways are sought for quorum quenching (QQ) and thereby prevention of biofilm formation. In this study using a chemostat culture run for seven days in a CDC reactor it was found that a natural QQ compound, vanillin considerably suppressed bacterial biofilm formation on RO membrane. There was 97% reduction in biofilm surface coverage, when grown in the presence of vanillin. Similarly, the average thickness, total biomass and the total protein content of the biofilm that formed in the presence of vanillin were significantly less than that of the control. However vanillin had no effect on 1-day old pre-formed biofilm.
authors.affiliation: Department of Advanced Technology Fusion, Konkuk University, Seoul, Republic of Korea.
authors.forename: Sajeesh
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Kappachery
authors.forename: Diby
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Paul
authors.forename: Jeyong
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Yoon
authors.forename: Ji Hyang
authors.initials: JH
authors.lastname: Kweon
mesh_terms: D016980:Aeromonas hydrophila / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000254:growth & development / Q000648:ultrastructure; D001547:Benzaldehydes / Q000494:pharmacology*; D018441:Biofilms / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000254:growth & development; D057219:Biofouling / Q000517:prevention & control*; D019149:Bioreactors; D003470:Culture Media; D008567:Membranes, Artificial; D018613:Microscopy, Confocal; D009995:Osmosis / Q000502:physiology; D053038:Quorum Sensing / Q000187:drug effects; D018508:Water Purification / Q000295:instrumentation / Q000379:methods
chemical_list: D001547:Benzaldehydes; D003470:Culture Media; D008567:Membranes, Artificial; C100058:vanillin