Influence of surface characteristics of polypropylene on E. coli and S. aureus biofilms : From conventional to additive manufacturing of bioprocess equipment

The fast-progressing landscape of the bioprocessing industry emphasizes innovation and efficiency enhancement, propelled by the integration of advanced solutions. Additive manufacturing technologies, particularly laserbased powder bed fusion with polypropylene, are pivotal in this industrial metamorphosis. However, despite the substantial scientific effort in the field, a significant gap exists in comprehending the surface characteristics of new surfaces and their implications for bacterial attachment and biofilm formation. This arises, in part, due to the absence of comprehensive and universally applicable topographical characterization analysis specifically designed for additively manufactured-fabricated surfaces. Typically, researchers tend to rely on the commonly used roughness parameter, Sa, that primarily quantifies the average height variation across a surface. Addressing this limitation is crucial for understanding the connection between surface characteristics and bacterial attachment dynamics. Here, we propose an innovative approach using surface analysis including confocal microscopy, advanced roughness measurements, and multivariate statistical analysis to uncover the connections between bacterial attachment for Gram negative Escherichia coli and Gram positive Staphylococcus aureus in early biofilm formation with surfaces produced by standardized and additively manufactured techniques. Finally, we advocate for the adoption of a set of roughness parameters that specifically describe the dale region of the surfaces. By doing so, we intend to establish direct links between surface texture and bacterial adhesion, thus contributing significantly to the advancement of both bioprocessing and additive manufacturing research domains.
QC 20240722