Gas-phase removal of biofilms from various surfaces using carbon dioxide aerosols.
The present study evaluated the removal of Escherichia coli XL1-blue biofilms using periodic jets of carbon dioxide aerosols (a mixture of solid and gaseous CO(2)) with nitrogen gas. The aerosols were generated by the adiabatic expansion of high-pressure CO(2) gas through a nozzle and used to remove air-dried biofilms. The areas of the biofilms were measured from scanning electron micrographs before and after applying the aerosols. The removal efficiency of the aerosol treatment was measured with various air-drying times of the biofilms before the treatment, surface materials, and durations of CO(2) aerosols in each 8-s aerosol-nitrogen cleaning cycle. Nearly 100% of the fresh biofilms were removed from the various surfaces very reliably within 90 s. This technique can be useful for removing unsaturated biofilms on solid surfaces and has potential applications for cleaning bio-contaminated surfaces.
School of Mechanical and Advanced Materials Engineering, Ulsan National Institute of Science and Technology (UNIST), Ulsan, 689-798, South Korea.
Minju
M
Cha
Seongkyeol
S
Hong
Min-Yeong
MY
Kang
Jin-Won
JW
Lee
Jaesung
J
Jang
D000336:Aerosols / Q000008:administration & dosage; D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000494:pharmacology*; D018441:Biofilms / Q000187:drug effects*; D002245:Carbon Dioxide / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000494:pharmacology*; D004926:Escherichia coli / Q000187:drug effects; D005740:Gases / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000494:pharmacology; D008855:Microscopy, Electron, Scanning; D009584:Nitrogen / Q000008:administration & dosage; D011312:Pressure; D013499:Surface Properties; D013997:Time Factors
D000336:Aerosols; D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents; D005740:Gases; D002245:Carbon Dioxide; D009584:Nitrogen