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Changes in the strength of attachment of micro‐organisms to surfaces following treatment with disinfectants and cleansing agents
Author(s) -
Eginton P.J.,
Holah J.,
Allison D.G.,
Handley P.S.,
Gilbert P.
Publication year - 1998
Publication title -
letters in applied microbiology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.698
H-Index - 110
eISSN - 1472-765X
pISSN - 0266-8254
DOI - 10.1046/j.1472-765x.1998.00390.x
Subject(s) - staphylococcus epidermidis , biofilm , sodium hypochlorite , microbiology and biotechnology , pseudomonas aeruginosa , bacteria , pulmonary surfactant , chemistry , sodium , adhesion , biocide , contamination , chromatography , biology , staphylococcus aureus , biochemistry , ecology , organic chemistry , genetics
Suspensions of Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Staphylococcus epidermidis , and biofilms established (16 h) on submerged glass and stainless steel (216 2B) coupons, were exposed to sodium hypochlorite (0·02% or 0·015% w/v), Dodigen (0·0015% w/v or 0·0006% w/v), sodium dodecylsulphate (6% w/v or 0·1% w/v) and Tween‐80 (6% w/v) for 5 min at 20 °C. Survival was assessed by viable counts and blot succession. Biofilm bacteria were significantly less susceptible to these biocides than were planktonic cells, but their attachment to the surfaces was loosened by such treatments. Treatment with the non‐ionic surfactant, Tween‐80, however, strengthened the attachment of Staph. epidermidis to stainless steel. Such effects on attachment strength, which are species and surface dependent, have profound implications on post‐treatment cleansing and possible re‐contamination of product in clean‐in‐place (CIP) systems.