Bacterial attachment on optical fibre surfaces |
| |
| Authors: | N Mitik-Dineva J Wang V K Truong P R Stoddart M R Alexander D J Albutt |
| |
| Institution: | 1. Faculty of Life and Social Sciences , Swinburne University of Technology , PO Box 218, Hawthorn , Victoria , 3122 , Australia;2. Industrial Research Institute Swinburne, Swinburne University of Technology , PO Box 218, Hawthorn , Victoria , 3122 , Australia;3. Center for Atom Optics and Ultrafast Spectroscopy , Swinburne University of Technology , PO Box 218, Hawthorn , Victoria , 3122 , Australia;4. Laboratory of Biophysics and Surface Analysis , School of Pharmacy, The University of Nottingham , Nottingham , NG7 2RD , UK |
| |
| Abstract: | Optical fibres have received considerable attention as high-density sensor arrays suitable for both in vitro and in vivo measurements of biomolecules and biological processes in living organisms and/or nano-environments. The fibre surface was chemically modified by exposure to a selective etchant that preferentially erodes the fibre cores relative to the surrounding cladding material, thus producing a regular pattern of cylindrical wells of approximately 2.5 μm in diameter and 2.5 μm deep. The surface hydrophobicity of the etched and non-etched optical fibres was analysed using the sessile pico-drop method. The surface topography was characterised by atomic force microscopy (AFM), while the surface chemistry was probed by time-of-flight secondary ion mass spectrometry (ToF-SIMS). Six taxonomically different bacterial strains showed a consistent preference for attachment to the nano-scale smoother (R q = 273 nm), non-etched fibre surfaces (water contact angle, θ = 106° ± 4°). In comparison, the surfaces of the etched optical fibres (water contact angle, θ = 96° ± 10°) were not found to be amenable to bacterial attachment. Bacterial attachment on the non-etched optical fibre substrata varied among different strains. |
| |
| Keywords: | optical fibre micro-nano structured surfaces bacterial attachment |
|
|
