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Appl Environ Microbiol. 1986 September; 52(3): 460-465
Copyright © 1986, American Society for Microbiology. All Rights Reserved.

Variability of the Influence of Physicochemical Factors Affecting Bacterial Adhesion to Polystyrene Substrata

Sharron McEldowney and Madilyn Fletcher^,*

¹ Department of Environmental Sciences, Warwick University, Coventry CV4 7AL, and River Laboratory, Freshwater Biological Association, Wareham, Dorset BH2D 6BB, ² England

ABSTRACT

The role of electrostatic and hydrophobic interactions and solid and liquid surface tensions in the adhesion of four bacterial species (Pseudomonas fluorescens, Enterobacter cloacae, Chromobacterium sp., and Flexibacter sp.) to hydrophobic polystyrene petri dishes and to more hydrophilic polystyrene tissue culture dishes was investigated. The effect of electrostatic interactions was investigated by determining the effects of different electrolyte solutions on attachment to and of different electrolyte and pH solutions on detachment from the polystyrene substrate. The significance of solid and liquid surface tensions and hydrophobic interactions was investigated by measuring the effects of different surfactants (including a concentration series of dimethyl sulfoxide) on adhesion and detachment. Adhesion varied with bacterial species, substratum, and electrolyte type and concentration, with no apparent correlation between adhesion and electrolyte valence or concentration. The influence of different pH and detergent solutions on bacterial detachment also varied with species, substratum, pH, and detergent type; however, the greatest degree of detachment of all strains from the surfaces was produced by detergent treatment. The results suggest that adhesion cannot be attributed to any one type of adhesive interaction. There was some evidence for both electrostatic and hydrophobic interactions, but neither interaction could wholly account for the data.

^* Corresponding author.

Present address: Center of Marine Biotechnology, University of Maryland Central Administration, Adelphi, MD 20783.