Abstract

Biofouling, or the build-up of microorganisms in a biofilm at the solid-water or water-air interface, is an interdisciplinary problem. Biofouling causes various issues including clogging systems, contaminating devices, and creating infections that are extremely difficult to treat, to name but a few. Therefore, engineers, pharmacologists, microbiologists, wastewater treatment operators, chemists, food preservative formulators, home and personal care product formulators, and toxicologists all play a role in studying and have an interest in solving biofouling. High-throughput studies on biofilm prevention and removal can take the form of biofilm antimicrobial microdilution susceptibility (BAMS) tests. Due to vested interests of many disciplines, the results from these tests should be applicable and useful to each discipline. This critical review analyses the focuses, biological implications, and metrics required by each discipline. The possible detection methods that could satisfy each desired metric are then summarized. The detection methods were analysed in order to recommend two methods of biofilm detection, Crystal Violet stain and the LIVE/DEAD BacLight stain, which correspond with three metrics including total biomass, log reduction, and the MIC, BPC, MBIC, MBC, BBC, and/or MBEC values. Determining these three metrics for each BAMS test will allow this type of research to be widely applicable and useful across many disciplines.

摘要

生物污垢，或微生物在固体-水或水-空气界面的生物膜中的积聚，是一个跨学科的问题。生物污垢会导致各种问题，包括堵塞系统、污染设备和造成极难治疗的感染，仅举几例。因此，工程师、药理学家、微生物学家、废水处理操作员、化学家、食品防腐剂配方师、家庭和个人护理产品配方师以及毒理学家都在研究中发挥作用，并对解决生物污垢感兴趣。生物膜预防和去除的高通量研究可以采用生物膜抗菌微稀释敏感性 (BAMS) 测试的形式。由于许多学科的既得利益，这些测试的结果应该对每个学科都适用和有用。这篇批判性评论分析了每个学科所需的重点、生物学意义和指标。然后总结了可以满足每个所需度量的可能检测方法。对检测方法进行了分析，以推荐两种生物膜检测方法，结晶紫染色和 LIVE/DEAD BacLight 染色，它们对应于三个指标，包括总生物量、对数减少和 MIC、BPC、MBIC、MBC、BBC、和/或 MBEC 值。为每个 BAMS 测试确定这三个指标将使此类研究在许多学科中广泛适用和有用。分析检测方法以推荐两种生物膜检测方法，结晶紫染色和 LIVE/DEAD BacLight 染色，它们对应于三个指标，包括总生物量、对数减少和 MIC、BPC、MBIC、MBC、BBC、和/或 MBEC 值。为每个 BAMS 测试确定这三个指标将使此类研究在许多学科中广泛适用和有用。分析检测方法以推荐两种生物膜检测方法，结晶紫染色和 LIVE/DEAD BacLight 染色，它们对应于三个指标，包括总生物量、对数减少和 MIC、BPC、MBIC、MBC、BBC、和/或 MBEC 值。为每个 BAMS 测试确定这三个指标将使此类研究在许多学科中广泛适用和有用。