Clean Surfaces (Sanitary surface 3-D Imprints) as Antimicrobial Strategy for Common-Use Surfaces Exposed to Human Contact and Microbial Transfer

Undergraduate #18
Discipline: Biological Sciences
Subcategory: Microbiology/Immunology/Virology

Paula Datri - Southern University at New Orleans
Co-Author(s): Christian Clement, Rachid Belmasrour, Pamela Marshall, Illya Tietzel, Heon Kim, Yi Zhen, and Mostafa Elaasar, Southern University at New Orleans, New Orleans, LA

---

Clean surfaces generated by “reverse engineering” using 3-D printing with polymeric surface materials of micro-topological surfaces that misalign to diminish the surface area of human contact could inhibit microbial adherence/attachment on common-use surfaces such as cellphone/computer touchscreens, keyboards, doorknobs, elevator buttons etc. Virus, bacteria and contaminating microbes attachment/adherence, growth and biofilm formation on common-use or shared surfaces exposed to direct human contact (touch/grasp and exposed body surfaces) pose a major public health risk because of emergent infectious diseases and widespread exposure to human materials (microflora, infectious DNA, skin, blood, tears, sweat, saliva, urine and fecal matter). Our research investigations focused on 3-D printing of micro-topological imprints as potential antimicrobial surfaces for reduction/elimination of pathogenic microbes transfer between human individuals through common-use surfaces. Common pathogens including Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Escherichia coli were cultured in media. Aliquots of bacteria cultures were evenly spread on simulated common-use surfaces. Subsequently, the bacteria on common-use surfaces were transferred using 3-D imprints onto agar plates for overnight growth. Colony numbers estimation as well as colony characteristics were documented and analyzed. It was observed that microbial adherence/attachment was greater at higher culture concentrations and the 3-D imprints significantly lowered microbial transfer. Further research will help to eliminate these contaminating surfaces and identify involvement of infection proteins because of specific families of genes that migrate within colonies of pathogens and contaminating microbes on these surfaces.

Funder Acknowledgement(s): This research was kindly supported by Consortium for Pipeline Development of Skilled Workforce through Advanced Manufacturing funded by the U.S. Department of Energy/NNSA under Prime Agreement No. DE-NA0002687 with special thanks to Mostafa Elaasar.

Faculty Advisor: Christian Clement, cclement@suno.edu

Role: Culturing of bacteria, standard colony counts, spreading of aliquots of bacteria cultures on simulated common-use surfaces, transfer of bacteria from simulated common-use surfaces using 3-D imprints onto agar plates for overnight growth, colony numbers estimation as well as colony characteristics documentation and analysis.