Evaluation of anti-biofilm activity of various polymer films

Biofilm is a thin film composed of bacteria, Extracellular polymeric substances(EPS), and water, produced when bacteria adhere to the material's surface． Extracellular polymeric substances is composed mainly of proteins, nucleic acids, lipids, and polysaccharides. Slime and bacteria in biofilms cause food spoilage, contamination of materials and utensils, and other negative effects on life. Polymer films have many of the characteristics required for medical materials, such as biocompatibility, processability, and durability. The applications of polymer films will continue to expand along with the development of new medical technologies. However, special consideration and countermeasures against biofilm formation are necessary, especially in hospital-related fields, because biofilm formation can cause nosocomial infections and chronic diseases.

On July 18, 2023, an international standard for the detection and quantitative evaluation of biofilms, which had been submitted mainly by the SIAA in Japan, was approved. In this study, we used the new ISO to produce biofilms on polymer materials and evaluate them quantitatively. And we investigated anti-biofilm properties as basic characteristics by staining the biofilm with crystal violet (CV) and quantitatively evaluating it using a plate reader.