Innovative Antibiofilm Smart Surface against Legionella for Water Systems

• Published in: Microorganisms (Basel) Vol. 10; no. 5; p. 870
• Main Authors: Filice, Simona, Sciuto, Emanuele Luigi, Scalese, Silvia, Faro, Giuseppina, Libertino, Sebania, Corso, Domenico, Timpanaro, Rosario Manuel, Laganà, Pasqualina, Coniglio, Maria Anna
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Switzerland MDPI AG 21.04.2022; MDPI
• Subjects: Bacteria; biofilm; Biofilms; Chemicals; Computer architecture; Copolymers; Disinfection & disinfectants; Efficiency; Fluid filters; In vitro methods and tests; Legionella; Legionella pneumophila; Legionnaires' disease bacterium; Life span; Medical prognosis; Microorganisms; Nosocomial infection; Optimization; Pathogens; Plumbing; Polymers; Polypropylene; Public health; Quantum dots; s-PBC; smart coatings; Water management; Water pollution; Water purification; water safety plan; United States > US; Legionella pneumophila; water safety plan; s-PBC; smart coatings; biofilm
• ISSN: 2076-2607; 2076-2607
• DOI: 10.3390/microorganisms10050870

contamination of water systems is a crucial issue for public health. The pathogen is able to persist in water as free-living planktonic bacteria or to grow within biofilms that adhere to and clog filters and pipes in a water system, reducing its lifespan and, in the case of hospital buildings, increasing the risk of nosocomial infections. The implementation of water management is considered to be the main prevention measure and can be achieved from the optimization of water system architecture, notably introducing new materials and strategies to contrast biofilm proliferation and so prolong the water system functionality. In this research, we propose a new smart surface against biofilm formation. This is based on an innovative type of coating consisting of a sulfonated pentablock copolymer (s-PBC, commercially named Nexar™) deposited on top of a polypropylene (PP) coupon in a sandwich filter model. The covering of PP with s-PBC results in a more hydrophilic, acid, and negatively charged surface that induces microbial physiological inhibition thereby preventing adhesion and/or proliferation attempts of prior to the biofilm formation. The antibiofilm property has been investigated by a Zone of Inhibition test and an in vitro biofilm formation analysis. Filtration tests have been performed as representative of possible applications for s-PBC coating. Results are reported and discussed.