Electrochemical sensors for biofilm and biocorrosion

The presence of biofilm modifies the electrochemical properties of the interface and the mass transport near the interface. Two biofilm effects are damageable: the reduction of heat and/or mass transfer and the biocorrosion or microbiologically influenced corrosion (MIC). Two kinds of electrochemical sensors were developed: the first kind for the biofilm detection and the second one to evaluate the MIC risk. The biofilm detection is obtained by considering either the potential modification of the interface or the mass transport modification. The mass transport modification is analysed by considering the limiting diffusion current measured on a gold electrode where the biofilm development occurs. The MIC risk is evaluated with a sensor composed of two concentric electrodes in the material under investigation (e.g. carbon steel): a small disk electrode in the centre and a large ring. In a first step, a pit is artificially initiated by applying a current through these electrodes. In a second step, the risk factors of MIC are investigated by analysing the free coupling current circulating between these two short‐circuited electrodes.     

表面处理对炭纤维挂膜性能的影响研究

以SEM,XPS等为手段研究了炭纤维经不同表面处理后表面形貌、表面官能团及其亲水性的变化情况,对比分析了经不同表面处理的炭纤维对固着在污水中的微生物膜的影响.得出以下结论:①在污水生物膜处理工艺中以高强型炭纤维作为载体是可行的;②提高炭纤维的表面亲水性有利于增加微生物的挂膜量;③对炭纤维表面结构影响小的处理方法不会破坏炭纤维的生物相容性,因此挂膜效果相对较好.     

The effect of bubble plume on oxygen transfer for moving bed biofilm reactor

The movement of the bubble plume plays an important role in the operation of a moving bed biofilm reactor （MBBR）, and it directly affects the contact and the mixture of the gas-liquid-solid phases in the aeration tank and also the oxygen transfer from the gas phase to the liquid phase. In this study, the velocity field is determined by a 4-frame PTV as well as the time-averaged and timedependent velocity distributions. The velocity distribution of the bubble plume is analyzed to evaluate the operating efficiency of the MBBR. The results show that the aeration rate is one of the main factors that sway the velocity distribution of the bubble plumes and affect the operating efficiency of the reactor.     

Magnetically Controlled Carbonate Nanocomposite with Ciprofloxacin for Biofilm Eradication

Biofilms are the reason for a vast majority of chronic inflammation cases and most acute inflammation. The treatment of biofilms still is a complicated task due to the low efficiency of drug delivery and high resistivity of the involved bacteria to harmful factors. Here we describe a magnetically controlled nanocomposite with a stimuli-responsive release profile based on calcium carbonate and magnetite with an encapsulated antibiotic (ciprofloxacin) that can be used to solve this problem. The material magnetic properties allowed targeted delivery, accumulation, and penetration of the composite in the biofilm, as well as the rapid triggered release of the entrapped antibiotic. Under the influence of an RF magnetic field with a frequency of 210 kHz, the composite underwent a phase transition from vaterite into calcite and promoted the release of ciprofloxacin. The effectiveness of the composite was tested against formed biofilms of E. coli and S. aureus and showed a 71% reduction in E. coli biofilm biomass and an 85% reduction in S. aureus biofilms. The efficiency of the composite with entrapped ciprofloxacin was higher than for the free antibiotic in the same concentration, up to 72%. The developed composite is a promising material for the treatment of biofilm-associated inflammations.     

Metabolic turnover and catalase activity of biofilms of Pseudomonas fluorescens (ATCC 17552) as related to copper corrosion

In this work we report the results of a combined biochemical and electrochemical study aimed to analyze both the growth of biofilms of Pseudomonas fluorescens on copper samples and its possible role in the instability of the metal/electrolyte interface.DNA and RNA were quantified along the time for biofilms grown on copper and glass to estimate both the growth of the bacterial population and its metabolic state (through the RNA/DNA ratio). The expression and specific activity of catalase were also determined to gain insight into their possible role in corrosion acceleration. The electrochemical behavior of the biofilm/copper interface was monitored by Linear Polarization Resistance (Rp) and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) along the experiments.Results showed a longer lag phase for biofilms developing on copper that included a period of high metabolic activity (as measured by the RNA/DNA ratio) without biomass growth. Biological activity introduced a new time constant at intermediate frequencies in EIS spectra whose capacitive behavior increased with the biofilm development. The increment in this biofilm-related signal was accompanied by a strong limitation to charge transfer through a diffusion controlled process probably due to oxygen exhaustion by cells respiration, while the resistance of the interface decreased presumably due to oxide dissolution by local acidification under the colonies. In addition, catalase activity was found to be high in mature copper-tolerant biofilms, which differentially express a catalase isoform not present in biofilms growing on glass.     

An appraisal of tree sulphur content as a long term air pollution gauge

Plant sulphur content of tree annual ring groups is used as an air pollution gauge in the vicinity of the Port Talbot (South Wales) steel works. The results indicate, with regards sulphur dioxide pollution, a recent improvement in air quality. Dendrochronological measurements also indicate this general trend.     

Simultaneous degradation of atrazine and simazine by a binary culture of Stenotrophomonas maltophilia and Arthrobacter sp. in a two‐stage biofilm reactor

BACKGROUND: The impact of mixtures of chloro‐triazinic herbicides, such as atrazine and simazine, on aquatic ecosystems is of environmental concern. To study their biodegradation under various operational conditions, a binary community comprising Stenotrophomonas maltophilia and Arthrobacter sp. attached to the porous support of a packed bed reactor, was evaluated. RESULTS: The genetic analysis of the two atrazine‐degrading strains revealed that genes atzA, atzB, atzC are present in both bacteria, but only S. maltophilia possess atzD. Thus, by cultivating Arthrobacter sp. on these herbicides, cyanuric acid accumulation was observed. When the binary community was cultivated in the biofilm reactor, at all the loading rates probed, both herbicides were entirely removed. However, complete biodegradation of cyanuric acid was not achieved. CONCLUSIONS: Even with a two‐stage reactor, cyanuric acid was only partially removed. This fact could be attributed to the absence, in the second stage, of an easily degradable energy source, required by S. maltophilia for the uptake and cometabolic degradation of the recalcitrant heterocyclic ring. Responding to differences in nutritional conditions prevailing at each reactor stage, local differences in species' predominance were clearly detected by microbiological and molecular biology methods. Copyright © 2010 Society of Chemical Industry     

Bacteriological Evaluation of Gingival Crevicular Fluid in Teeth Restored Using Fixed Dental Prostheses: An In Vivo Study

The present in vivo study determined the microbiological counts of the gingival crevicular fluid (GCF) among patients with fixed dental prostheses fabricated using three different techniques. A total of 129 subjects were divided into three study groups: first, cobalt-chrome-based, metal-ceramic prostheses fabricated by the conventional method (MC, n = 35); the second group consisted of cobalt-chrome-based, metal-ceramic prostheses fabricated by the computer-aided design and computer-aided manufacturing (CAD/CAM) technique (CC-MC, n = 35); the third group comprised zirconia-based ceramic prostheses fabricated using the CAD/CAM technique (CC-Zr, n = 35). The control consisted of 24 patients using prostheses fabricated with either MC, CC-MC, or CC-Zr. The GCF was obtained from the subjects before treatment, and 6 and 12 months after the prosthetic treatment. Bacteriological and bacterioscopic analysis of the GCF was performed to analyze the patients’ GCF. The data were analyzed using SPSS V20 (IBM Company, Chicago, IL, USA). The number of microorganisms of the gingival crevicular fluid in all groups at 12 months of prosthetic treatment reduced dramatically compared with the data obtained before prosthetic treatment. Inflammatory processes in the periodontium occurred slowly in the case of zirconium oxide-based ceramic constructions due to their biocompatibility with the mucous membranes and tissues of the oral cavity as well as a reduced risk of dental biofilm formation. This should be considered by dentists and prosthodontists when choosing restoration materials for subjects with periodontal pathology.     

外源调控对白腐真菌生物膜反应器的影响研究

研究了碳源、氮源及诱导物调控对白腐真菌生物膜反应器处理活性黑KNB染料废水的锰过氧化氢酶(MnP)活性及脱色率的影响。结果表明:葡萄糖、酒石酸铵和Mn~(2 )浓度分别为10g/L、0.2g/L和0.2mmol/L时,MnP活性及脱色率达到最高,分别为92.1 U/L及98.9%。MnP活性与脱色率之间有较好的正相关性,表明MnP是该体系的降解功能主体。     

Grau模型在微生物膜生长动力学中的应用

本文通过测量静态微生物膜上生物量的试验，比较准确地研究了不同负荷下的微生物生长状况以及不同曝气量下微生物变化情况；并应用Grau模型对微生物膜生长动力学过程进行了研究。结果表明：利用GraM模型可以获得微生物膜生长动力学的基本参数。当试验的温度为（22±1）℃时，竖向回转式生物反应器处理生活污水的附着态生物膜的微生物反应速度常数33．59d^-1；在污泥去除负荷4．64～11．06d^-1时，其COD降解产率为0．5084mg VSS／mgCOD，衰减系数为0．08d^-1。