Immobilization of Bacteria on to Polyester Cloth

Escherichia coli 3300 (constitutive for -galactosidase) had a greater adhesion (assayed by -galactosidase) to polyester cloth than to cotton cloth. Adhered bacteria developed immobilized cells on the cloth which can generate progeny efficiently. Similarly, four other Gram-negative bacteria and three Gram-positive bacteria had greater adhesion to polyester cloth than to cotton cloth. Since coating of polyester cloth with polyvinyl alcohol greatly decreased the bacterial adhesion, hydrophobic interaction is likely responsible for the bacterial adhesion to polyester cloth.