Center for Biofilm Engineering

News Update: 

April, 2005

Volume 8, Issue 4

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Research Highlights

Paper Spotlight by Kevin Grealish

Study investigates the relationship between shock-dose treatments and biofilm detachment in swimming pools

Biofilm accumulation has been found on the surfaces and in the filters of swimming pools. Biofilm may harbor pathogenic bacteria and, therefore, present a public health concern. A recent project at the CBE utilized a scaled-down model to study biofilm formation in swimming pools. The model incorporated engineering parameters such as construction materials, turn-over rates, filter loading, adjusted water chemistry, and organic loading that mimicked perspiration, urine and microbial contributions to swimming pool water. The model was used to test the efficacy of oxidizing and non-oxidizing treatments against biofilm and planktonic bacteria. Of the treatments tested, weekly shock-doses of chlorine proved to be the most effective at controlling biofilm formation. A better understanding of the relationship between shock treatments and biofilm detachment could lead to improved health qualities in swimming pools.

Evaluation of Disinfectant Efficacy Against Biofilm and Suspended Bacteria in a Laboratory Swimming Pool Model
Goeres, D.M., T. Palys, B.B. Sandel, and J. Geiger
Water Res. 2004; 38:3103-3109

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Recent CBE Publications

“Bioreduction of Natural Specular Hematite under Flow Conditions”
Gonzalez-Gil, G., J.E. Amonette, M.F. Romine, Y.A. Gorby and G.G. Geesey,
Geochim. Cosmochim. Acta., 69(5):1145-1155 (2005)

“Extracellular Enzymes Associated with Microbial Flocs from Activated Sludge of Wastewater Treatment Systems”
Geesey, G.G. and F. Van Ommen Kloeke
In: Flocculation in Natural and Engineered Environmental Processes, Droppo, I.G., Leppard, G.G., Milligan, T.M., and Liss, S.N. (eds.), CRC Press, Boca Raton, FL, pp. 295-316 (2005)

“Viscoelasticity of Staphylococcus aureus Biofilms in Response to Fluid Shear Allows Resistance to Detachment and Facilitates Rolling Migration”
Cory J. Rupp, Christoph A. Fux, and Paul Stoodley
Appl. Environ. Microbiol. 71(4):2175-2178 (2005)

To read these paper abstracts or to order paper copies see:
http://www.erc.montana.edu/Res-Lib99-SW/pubs/Database/PD_DisplayScript.asp

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Television Production

Sara Shier, a former MSU Film and TV Masters student, produced a film titled “Fighting for Life: Emelia's Story” that is due to air on Montana PBS Thursday, May 19th at 7:30pm and repeats Monday, May 23rd at 11:30am.

Emelia, a young girl with cystic fibrosis, endures many treatments to control her symptoms. Her story also takes viewers to the MSU Center for Biofilm Engineering, where scientists work to understand bacteria in a new way, as multi-cellular organisms, in order to better treat some of the complications of Emelia's disease.

Produced by Sara Shier for TERRA. Distributed by KUSM/MontanaPBS, MSU Bozeman.
TERRA: http://www.montanapbs.org/Terra/episode103/

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Visitors

Alessandra Agostinho from the University of Sao Paulo in Brazil will be working on a project to determine the efficacy of using electrolyzed water as a means of controlling biofilm in dental unit water lines. She is a doctor of dentistry, and is continuing research toward a PhD.

Sabrina Behnke and Jessica Richard will be visiting the CBE through July 2005 from the University of Duisburg-Essen, Germany. Sabrina will be working with Mark Burr using molecular methods to determine the bacterial species composition of laboratory and natural biofilms. Jessica will be working with Cindy Morris and Ray Holzalski (visiting scientists in Anne Camper's lab) on measuring the cohesive strength of biofilms. She will apply a calibrated cantilever system developed in Ray's lab at the University of Minnesota to measure the cohesive strength of both cultured and naturally occurring biofilms containing either plant-associated or human-associated bacteria.

Kyung-Min Yeon from the Institute of Environmental Protection and Safety, School of Chemical Engineering, Seoul National University, Korea, will be working with Dr. Lewandowski’s Structure and Function team for six months. His project is called “Biofilm Structure and Activity in Membrane Bioreactors.”

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Education

Undergraduate Scholars Conference

Each year this conference is held to recognize students who participate in the Undergraduate Scholars Program (USP) and to encourage undergraduate research and creativity conducted in partnership with faculty mentors. On March 30th, USP students presented oral and poster presentations about their research work at Montana State University. As the invited keynote speaker, Phil Stewart, CBE’s Interim Director, presented “Undergraduate Researchers – Wow!”

CBE’s USP students and their presentation titles:

Title: Response of Biofilm to Toxic Gas Exposure
Student: Alison Enos, Biomedical Sciences
Mentor: Garth James-CBE

Title: Screening Plant Extracts for Biofilm Inhibition
Student: Amy Martin, Chemical Engineering
Mentor: Garth James-CBE

Title: Influence of Co-contaminants and Natural Organic Matter on the Reduction of 2, 4, 6-Trinitrotoluene (TNT), Chromium (VI) and Carbon Tertrachloride by Zero-valent Iron
Student: David Steppler-Cell Biology and Neuroscience
Mentor: Robin Gerlach

Title: Structure and Interactions of Pseudomonas aeruginosa Biofilms
Student: Chelsea Grace, Chemical and Biological Engineering
Mentor: Zbigniew Lewandowski and Haluk Beyenal-CBE

Title: In Situ Skin Section Biofilm Visualization
Student: Pat Secor, Biochemistry
Mentor: Elinor Pulcini-CBE

Title: Evaluation of Wound Biofilms
Student: Ellen Swogger
Mentor: Garth James-CBE

See Undergraduate Scholars Conference pictures at:
http://www.erc.montana.edu/CBEssentials-SW/education/USPConference_05.htm

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Thesis Alert

“Power Management for Microbial Fuel Cells,” Thesis Defense by Avinash Shantaram, M.S. Candidate in Environmental Engineering, Montana State University, April 2005.

Thesis abstracts can be found on the CBE website and copies can be ordered from there as well. To view the thesis abstracts see:
http://www.erc.montana.edu/Res-Lib99-SW/pubs/Theses/Database/TD_DisplayScript.asp

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CBE People In Action

Paul Sturman attended a meeting with the working group on Air and Water Treatment of the American Dental Association Standards Committee and Dental Products, Baltimore, MD, March 8-10, 2005. This meeting was to finalize plans for a standard test apparatus to assess the efficacy of dental unit water line antimicrobials.

Zbigniew Lewandowski attended the International Water Association Specialist Forum, Maastricht, The Netherlands, March 28–April 5, 2005. Such meetings are organized every few years to discuss IWA’s strategic plans, coordinate the work of specialist groups, and prepare for the upcoming events, such as the World Water Congress in Beijing.

Phil Stewart presented “Biocides and Biofilms,” Dow Biocides, Buffalo Grove, IL, April 6-8, 2005.

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Biofilm Education Resources

Upcoming CBE Workshops

“Biofilm Methods Workshop,” organized by the CBE in partnership with the Biofilm Institute at Montana State University, July 5, 2005 See the tentative agenda at:

http://www.erc.montana.edu/CBEssentials-SW/whats_new/sTAC05_Wrkshp.pdf

For more information about the Biofilm Methods Workshops go to http://www.erc.montana.edu/Ind-Col99-SW/Workshops/index.htm

“Biofilm Structure Quantification and Image Analysis,” sponsored by the CBE Structure-Function Research Group, Center for Biofilm Engineering, Montana State University, July 21–22, 2005

“Microsensors: Manufacture and Applications,” sponsored by the CBE Structure-Function Research Group, Center for Biofilm Engineering, Montana State University, August 8–12, 2005

“Bioelectrochemistry: Microbially Influenced Corrosion and Microbial Fuel Cells,” sponsored by the CBE Structure-Function Research Group, Center for Biofilm Engineering, Montana State University, August 24–27, 2005

For more information on the workshops go to http://www.erc.montana.edu/CBEssentials-SW/research/workshops/default.htm

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Web Watch

BiofilmsOnline.com

See the BiofilmsOnline.com April issue at http://www.BiofilmsOnline.com.

Subscribe to the bi-weekly newsletter by registering at: http://www.biofilmsonline.com/cgi-bin/biofilmsonline/newsletter_signup.html

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Newsletter Listserve

The CBE News Update is a listserve newsletter. If you wish to subscribe or unsubscribe from the listserve, follow the directions at the following CBE website.

http://www.erc.montana.edu/Res-Lib99-SW/newsarchives/subscribe.htm

An alternative to subscribing to the listserve is to view the CBE News Update on our web page at http://www.erc.montana.edu/Ind-Col99-SW/Current_Newsletter/default.htm. Newsletter archives can be found at http://www.erc.montana.edu/Res-Lib99-SW/newsarchives/index.htm.

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