The impact of material properties, nutrient load and shear stress on biofouling in food industries

• Type: Article in International Scientific Journal
• Date: 2015

Authors

J. M. R. Moreira (Author) FEUP; L. C. Gomes (Author) FEUP; M. Simões (Author) FEUP; L. F. Melo (Author) FEUP; F. J. Mergulhão (Author) FEUP

Journal

Title: Food and Bioproducts Processing: Transactions of the Institution of of Chemical Engineers, Part C

Vol. 95

Pages: 228-236

ISSN: 0960-3085

Publisher: Institution of Chemical Engineers

Indexing

ISI Web of Knowledge - 13 Citations

ISI Web of Science

Scopus - 19 Citations

INSPEC

Scientific classification

FOS: Engineering and technology

CORDIS: Technological sciences

Associated Projects

LEPAE/CEFT - RL2 - (Bio) Chemical Engineering: Multi-Scale Approaches for Sustainable Environment and Health

UI0511 - PROJECTO ESTRATÉGICO - UI 511 - 2013-2014

Other information

Authenticus ID: P-00G-CSR

DOI: 10.1016/j.fbp.2015.05.011

Abstract (EN): In the food industry, biofilm formation in pipes, equipment and cooling systems increases maintenance costs, decreases operational efficiencies and is a source of contamination. Shear stress, nutrient load and surface material are important variables affecting the biofilm onset in industry. In this work, the combined impacts of these variables were assessed using three different materials (glass, copper and stainless steel), two nutrient loads (high and low nutrient medium) and two hydrodynamic conditions (static and dynamic). Initial adhesion and biofilm formation were studied in microplates using Escherichia coli as a model organism. Surface material was the factor with the strongest impact and adhesion/biofilm formation were correlated with surface hydrophobicity. However, the impact of this variable was dependent on the nutrient load and imposed shear stress. It was also found that, for the majority of the situations tested, initial attachment performance is a good predictor of biofilm formation behaviour and that the effects observed during attachment are amplified during biofilm maturation. Since shear stress is a major determinant in cell adhesion, the results of this study may find application in industrial systems operating at flow rates between 0.001 and 600 m(3) h(-1) depending on tube material and diameter.

Language: English

Type (Professor's evaluation): Scientific

No. of pages: 9