title: Online monitoring of biofilm growth and activity using a combined multi-channel impedimetric and amperometric sensor.
abstract: Biofilms are ubiquitous in water interfaces and therefore influence our daily lives in an ambivalent manner. In medicine, infections can be attributed to biofilm formation. In technical systems, biofilms are causative agents for biocorrosion, contamination, and clogging processes and are responsible for shear force modification in marine systems. To control and manipulate biofilm formation advanced technologies are needed. This paper reports on a novel real-time biofilm monitoring system using custom-made electronics. The system is able to monitor four electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) electrodes and three amperometric sensors in two microfluidic channels assessing biofilm growth and activity in parallel using Pseudomonas aeruginosa as a model system. The biofilm was characterized during its seeding and growth stages as well as during different injection intervals of a biocide (sodium azide) which allowed monitoring biofilm destabilization and deactivation effects in real time. The results obtained were confirmed by fluorescence microscopy after live/dead cell staining of the bacteria in the measured biofilm.
authors.affiliation: Institute of Microstructure Technology (IMT), Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT), 76344 Eggenstein-Leopoldshafen, Germany.
authors.forename: Leonardo
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Pires
authors.forename: Kai
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Sachsenheimer
authors.forename: Tanja
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Kleintschek
authors.forename: Ansgar
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Waldbaur
authors.forename: Thomas
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Schwartz
authors.forename: Bastian E
authors.initials: BE
authors.lastname: Rapp
mesh_terms: D018441:Biofilms / Q000254:growth & development*; D015374:Biosensing Techniques; D058266:Dielectric Spectroscopy; D004202:Disinfectants / Q000737:chemistry; D004566:Electrodes; D011550:Pseudomonas aeruginosa / Q000254:growth & development / Q000302:isolation & purification*
chemical_list: D004202:Disinfectants