A trickling biofilm chamber to investigate the survival of Legionella pneumophila in evaporative cooling systems
Year: 2025
Type: article
Abstract: As biofilms are a crucial factor in the proliferation of Legionella pneumophila in evaporative cooling systems (ECS), the impact of biocides on L. pneumophila containing biofilms in ECS needs to be evaluated by cultivation-independent methods. Therefore, a trickling biofilm chamber that simulates the spraying of process water was developed. Through this setup, the cultivation of Legionella-containing biofilms was possible. To demonstrate a potential application of the biofilm chamber, experiments using oxidizing and non-oxidizing biocides were conducted. Differences in cell survival were observed, alongside variations in the efficacy of culture and flow cytometry as analytical methodologies for assessing both intact and total cell populations. These findings also highlight the benefits of flow cytometry as a culture-independent analytical approach. This proof-of-principle study illustrates the need of the biofilm chamber for conducting experiments related to biofilm growth and biocide impact.
Source: Biofouling
Institution: Technical University of Munich
Language: English
Subfield: Endocrinology
Domain: Life Sciences
Open Access status: hybrid
Funder: AiF Projekt
OpenAlex ID: W4410170215