title: Enhancing the Physical Properties and Lifespan of Bacterial Quorum Quenching Media through Combination of Ionic Cross-Linking and Dehydration.
abstract: Quorum quenching (QQ) bacteria entrapped in a polymeric composite hydrogel (QQ medium) have been successfully applied in membrane bioreactors (MBRs) for effective biofouling control. However, in order to bring QQ technology closer to practice, the physical strength and lifetime of QQ media should be improved. In this study, enforcement of physical strength, as well as an extension of the lifetime of a previously reported QQ bacteria entrapping hollow cylinder (QQ-HC), was sought by adding a dehydration procedure following the cross-linking of the polymeric hydrogel by inorganic compounds like Ca2+and boric acid. Such prepared medium demonstrated enhanced physical strength possibly through an increased degree of physical cross-linking. As a result, a longer lifetime of QQ-HCs was confirmed, which led to improved biofouling mitigation performance of QQ-HC in an MBR. Furthermore, QQ-HCs stored under dehydrated condition showed higher QQ activity when the storage time lasted more than 90 days owing to enhanced cell viability. In addition, the dormant QQ activity after the dehydration step could be easily restored through reactivation with real wastewater, and the reduced weight of the dehydrated media is expected to make handling and transportation of QQ media highly convenient and economical in practice.
authors.affiliation: School of Chemical and Biological Engineering, Seoul National University, Seoul 08826, Republic of Korea.
authors.forename: Sang Hyun
authors.initials: SH
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.affiliation: School of Chemical and Biological Engineering, Seoul National University, Seoul 08826, Republic of Korea.
authors.forename: Seonki
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.affiliation: School of Chemical and Biological Engineering, Seoul National University, Seoul 08826, Republic of Korea.
authors.forename: Kibaek
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.affiliation: School of Chemical and Biological Engineering, Seoul National University, Seoul 08826, Republic of Korea.
authors.forename: Chang Hyun
authors.initials: CH
authors.lastname: Nahm
authors.affiliation: School of Chemical and Biological Engineering, Seoul National University, Seoul 08826, Republic of Korea.
authors.forename: Sung-Jun
authors.initials: SJ
authors.lastname: Jo
authors.affiliation: School of Chemical and Biological Engineering, Seoul National University, Seoul 08826, Republic of Korea.
authors.forename: Jaewoo
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.affiliation: Department of Environmental Engineering, Kyungpook National University, Daegu 41566, Republic of Korea.
authors.forename: Kwang-Ho
authors.initials: KH
authors.lastname: Choo
authors.affiliation: Department of Biomedicinal Science and Biotechnology, Paichai University, Daejeon 35345, Republic of Korea.
authors.forename: Jung-Kee
authors.initials: JK
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.affiliation: School of Chemical and Biological Engineering, Seoul National University, Seoul 08826, Republic of Korea.
authors.forename: Chung-Hak
authors.initials: CH
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.affiliation: Department of Environmental Engineering, Yonsei University, Wonju 26439, Republic of Korea.
authors.forename: Pyung-Kyu
authors.initials: PK
authors.lastname: Park
mesh_terms: D018407:Bacterial Physiological Phenomena; D019149:Bioreactors; D003470:Culture Media; D003681:Dehydration; D005285:Fermentation; D020136:Hydrogel, Polyethylene Glycol Dimethacrylate / Q000737:chemistry; D007477:Ions / Q000378:metabolism*; D050296:Microbial Viability
chemical_list: D003470:Culture Media; D007477:Ions; D020136:Hydrogel, Polyethylene Glycol Dimethacrylate
keywords: PVA; cell immobilization; media; membrane bioreactors; quorum quenching