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Nonadhesive, silica nanoparticles‐based brush‐coated contact lens cases—Compromising between ease of cleaning and microbial transmission to contact lenses
Author(s) -
Qu Wenwen,
Hooymans Johanna M. M.,
Qiu Jun,
deBont Nik,
Gelling OnkoJan,
van der Mei Henny C.,
Busscher Henk J.
Publication year - 2013
Publication title -
journal of biomedical materials research part b: applied biomaterials
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.665
H-Index - 108
eISSN - 1552-4981
pISSN - 1552-4973
DOI - 10.1002/jbm.b.32866
Subject(s) - polypropylene , contact lens , materials science , adhesion , brush , cls upper limits , coating , contact angle , biofilm , composite material , chemical engineering , nanotechnology , microbiology and biotechnology , bacteria , optics , biology , medicine , physics , optometry , genetics , engineering
Abstract Surface properties of lens cases are determinant for their cleanability and for microbial transmission from lens cases to contact lenses (CLs). PEG‐polymer‐brush‐coatings are known to decrease microbial adhesion more than other surface‐coatings. Here, we applied a robust, silica nanoparticles‐based brush‐coating to polypropylene cases to evaluate their ease of cleaning and probability of bacterial transmission to CLs. Adhesion forces of nine bacterial strains ( Pseudomonas , Staphylococci , and Serratia ) to rigid CLs, polypropylene, and silica nanoparticles‐based brush‐coated polypropylene were measured using atomic‐force‐microscopy and subjected to Weibull analyses to yield bacterial transmission probabilities. Biofilms of each strain were grown in coated and uncoated cases and rinsed with a NaCl or antimicrobial lens care solution. Residual, viable organisms were quantified. Bacterial adhesion forces of all strains were significantly, up to tenfold smaller on brush‐coated than on uncoated polypropylene. This yielded, higher transmission probabilities to a CL, but mild‐rinsing yielded 10–100 fold higher removal of bacteria from brush‐coated than from polypropylene cases. Moreover, due to weak adhesion forces, bacteria on brush‐coated cases were two‐to‐three fold more susceptible to an antimicrobial lens care solution than on polypropylene cases. Therewith, t he design of lens case surfaces is a compromise between ease of cleaning and transmission probability to CLs. © 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Biomed Mater Res Part B: Appl Biomater, 2013.