The effect of the surface properties of poly(methyl methacrylate) on the attachment, adhesion and retention of fungal conidia

Kathryn A. Whitehead; Christopher M. Liauw; Joels S. T. Wilson-Nieuwenhuis; Anthony J. Slate; Ted Deisenroth; Andrea Preuss; Joanna Verran; Kathryn A. Whitehead; Christopher M. Liauw; Joels S. T. Wilson-Nieuwenhuis; Anthony J. Slate; Ted Deisenroth; Andrea Preuss; Joanna Verran

doi:10.3934/bioeng.2020015

AIMS Bioengineering

2020, Volume 7, Issue 3: 165-178. doi: 10.3934/bioeng.2020015

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The effect of the surface properties of poly(methyl methacrylate) on the attachment, adhesion and retention of fungal conidia

1.
Microbiology at Interfaces, Manchester Metropolitan University, Manchester, M15 GD, UK
2.
Research and Development Group, Switzerland

Received: 11 May 2020 Accepted: 12 June 2020 Published: 23 June 2020

Poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA) surfaces, (commercial PMMA (PMMAc), spin coated PMMA (PMMAsc) and a 90% methylmethacrylate/10% 3-methacryloxypropyltrimethoxysilane random copolymer (P(MMA-co-gMPS)) were used to determine the effect of surface properties on conidia biofouling. The contact angles of the substrates demonstrated that the PMMAsc and the P(MMA-co-gMPS) polymer (62.8°) were more wettable than the PMMAc surface (71.0°). The PMMAsc had the greatest roughness value (32.0 nm) followed by the PMMAc (3.0 nm), then P(MMA-co-gMPS) (1 nm). Aspergillus niger 1957 conidia were spherical, smooth and hydrophobic (12.1%). Aspergillus niger 1988 conidia were spherical with spikes and hydrophobic (17.1%). Aureobasidium pullulans was elliptical with longitudinal ridges and hydrophilic (79.9%). Following attachment assays, cPMMA attached the greatest numbers of conidia. Following the adhesion and retention assays (washing step included in the protocol), A. niger 1957 and A. niger 1988 were least adhered to the P(MMA-co-gMPS) surface, whilst A. pulluans was least adhered to the PMMAsc surface. This work demonstrated that in the absence of a washing step, only the surface properties influenced the conidia attachment, whilst in the presence of a washing step, both the properties of the surfaces and the conidia affected conidia adhesion and retention. Hence, the methodology used (with or without a washing step) should reflect the environment in which the surface is to be applied.
- fungi,
- polymers,
- biodeterioration,
- attachment,
- adhesion,
- retention,
- spores,
- PMMA,
- Aspergillus,
- Aureobasidium
Citation: Kathryn A. Whitehead, Christopher M. Liauw, Joels S. T. Wilson-Nieuwenhuis, Anthony J. Slate, Ted Deisenroth, Andrea Preuss, Joanna Verran. The effect of the surface properties of poly(methyl methacrylate) on the attachment, adhesion and retention of fungal conidia[J]. AIMS Bioengineering, 2020, 7(3): 165-178. doi: 10.3934/bioeng.2020015

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Abstract

Poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA) surfaces, (commercial PMMA (PMMAc), spin coated PMMA (PMMAsc) and a 90% methylmethacrylate/10% 3-methacryloxypropyltrimethoxysilane random copolymer (P(MMA-co-gMPS)) were used to determine the effect of surface properties on conidia biofouling. The contact angles of the substrates demonstrated that the PMMAsc and the P(MMA-co-gMPS) polymer (62.8°) were more wettable than the PMMAc surface (71.0°). The PMMAsc had the greatest roughness value (32.0 nm) followed by the PMMAc (3.0 nm), then P(MMA-co-gMPS) (1 nm). Aspergillus niger 1957 conidia were spherical, smooth and hydrophobic (12.1%). Aspergillus niger 1988 conidia were spherical with spikes and hydrophobic (17.1%). Aureobasidium pullulans was elliptical with longitudinal ridges and hydrophilic (79.9%). Following attachment assays, cPMMA attached the greatest numbers of conidia. Following the adhesion and retention assays (washing step included in the protocol), A. niger 1957 and A. niger 1988 were least adhered to the P(MMA-co-gMPS) surface, whilst A. pulluans was least adhered to the PMMAsc surface. This work demonstrated that in the absence of a washing step, only the surface properties influenced the conidia attachment, whilst in the presence of a washing step, both the properties of the surfaces and the conidia affected conidia adhesion and retention. Hence, the methodology used (with or without a washing step) should reflect the environment in which the surface is to be applied.

Author contributions

Kathryn A. Whitehead and Christopher M. Liauw carried out the laboratory work. Kathryn A. Whitehead produced the first draft of the work and oversaw subsequent manuscript preparation. Joels S. T. Wilson-Nieuwenhuis and Anthony J. Slate were involved with manuscript preparation and writing. Ted Deisenroth and Andrea Preuss designed the conceptualisation of the project and funded the work. Joanna Verran oversaw the project.

Conflicts of interest

The authors report no conflicts of interest.

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