Bottom-up Approach to Rebuild Synergy in Biofilms to Stimulate the Degradation of Recalcitrant Polymer Coatings

Authors

Presenter(s)

Anna Blumberg

Comments

Presentation: 1:20-1:40 p.m., Kennedy Union 222

Files

Description

The movement toward more environmentally friendly approaches to thwarting biofilm formation on marine and aerospace equipment has led to a more comprehensive approach to deconstructing and identifying the complex interactions with biofilms on polymer coated surfaces. We will present results from the biodegradation of defined thermoplastic polyester polyurethane and polyether polyurethane coatings using single environmental strains of Bacillus megaterium, Papiliotrema laurentii, and defined mixtures of these two organisms as both liquid cultures and as biofilms on polymer coated surfaces. We will show the changes in population dynamics using a quantitative PCR approach and selective agar plate based assays using antifungal or antimicrobial agents. We will present how under nutrient limited conditions these two organisms appear to control their activity and population density to survive on the carbon sources released from the successful hydrolysis of the synthetic coating. These data show how a prokaryote and eukaryote originally isolated from the same environmental consortium inside of an aircraft interact to affect the degradation of a coated surface over time.

Publication Date

4-19-2023

Project Designation

Honors Thesis

Primary Advisor

Justin Biffinger

Primary Advisor's Department

Chemistry

Keywords

Stander Symposium, College of Arts and Sciences

Recommended Citation

"Bottom-up Approach to Rebuild Synergy in Biofilms to Stimulate the Degradation of Recalcitrant Polymer Coatings" (2023). Stander Symposium Projects. 2803.
https://ecommons.udayton.edu/stander_posters/2803