Biofouling最新文献

Based on a comprehensive dataset of 5,925 publications retrieved from Scopus and the Web of Science Core Collection between 2000 and 2024, this study systematically maps the research landscape of membrane technology for drinking water production via integrated bibliometric analysis and visualization using VOSviewer, Origin 2023, and R statistical software. The results indicated that annual publications increased by approximately 1,361% (from 36 in 2000 to 526 in 2024), with China and USA collectively contributing about 52% of global publications. Core journals in this domain include Water Research, Journal of Membrane Science, and Chemosphere. Early pioneering work was carried out by Bart Van der Bruggen, while Liang Heng from Harbin Institute of Technology has become one of the most productive researchers in recent years. Notably, the research focus has gradually shifted from membrane processes to membrane materials. While previous reviews have largely focused on technical optimization without systematic quantification of research trends or collaboration networks, this study fills that gap by providing the first large‑scale bibliometric mapping of the field's evolution, geographic hotspots and emerging themes. Additionally, this study reviews the research progress in antifouling strategies, encompassing membrane cleaning techniques and membrane surface modification, aiming to provide valuable insights for researchers worldwide.

Catheter-related bloodstream infections (CRBSIs) are driven by biofilm formation on catheter surfaces. Poly(2-methoxyethyl acrylate) (PMEA) is a blood-compatible polymer that suppresses protein adsorption and may inhibit bacterial attachment through a non-bactericidal anti-adhesive mechanism. This study evaluated the antibiofilm effect of PMEA coating using a blood-based in vitro model.A blood-based in vitro model was established using bovine blood to better reproduce the protein-rich intravascular environment associated with CRBSIs. Polyurethane catheter segments with or without PMEA coating were incubated for 7 days in bovine serum containing Staphylococcus aureus ATCC 29213 or Staphylococcus epidermidis ATCC 35984, with or without prior plasma exposure. Biofilm biomass was quantified by toluidine blue staining and spectrophotometric measurement of absorbance at 632 nm.PMEA coating significantly suppressed biofilm formation, corresponding to an approximately 92% reduction compared with uncoated catheters. Plasma exposure markedly enhanced biofilm formation, producing an approximately 23-fold increase relative to non-exposed conditions. PMEA coating did not affect planktonic bacterial growth, supporting a non-bactericidal mechanism of action.These findings suggest that PMEA suppresses catheter-associated biofilm formation by inhibiting plasma protein adsorption and subsequent bacterial attachment. Modulation of host protein-surface interactions may represent an effective strategy for preventing CRBSIs without relying on bactericidal activity.

Multidrug-resistant (MDR) Pseudomonas aeruginosa infections are difficult to treat due to biofilm formation. This study evaluates the antimicrobial and antibiofilm efficacy of murepavadin (MUR), a novel peptidomimetic targeting the LptD protein, alone and combined with conventional antibiotics against clinical isolates. The minimum inhibitory concentrations (MICs) of 50 isolates against MUR and five antibiotics were determined. Synergy in planktonic cultures was assessed by checkerboard assays. For biofilm, the Bliss independence model was applied using MBIC (minimum biofilm inhibitory concentration) and the concentration yielding ≥90% biomass reduction, as measured by crystal violet (CV) staining. MUR showed potent activity against planktonic cells (MIC₅₀/₉₀: 0.25/0.5 mg l^-1). Synergy tests revealed consistent MUR-colistin synergy across all strains, with notable interactions against carbapenemase-producers when combined with meropenem. In biofilms, MUR demonstrated significantly lower MBIC and lower concentrations required for ≥90% biomass reduction (CV staining). Bliss analysis confirmed strong synergistic biofilm inhibition in all combinations, most pronounced with tobramycin. MUR exhibits high efficacy against both planktonic and biofilm-forming MDR P. aeruginosa. Its synergy with colistin and tobramycin highlights its potential as a strategic combination partner.

Candida albicans (C. albicans) biofilms exhibit markedly enhanced tolerance to conventional antifungal agents, necessitating the identification of novel therapeutic alternatives. Chrysin, a naturally occurring flavonoid distributed in propolis and Passiflora species, possesses well-documented antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties. However, its activity against C. albicans biofilms remains uncharacterized. This study comprehensively evaluated the antibiofilm efficacy of chrysin in vitro and in vivo. The sessile minimum inhibitory concentration causing 50% inhibition (SMIC₅₀) of chrysin against C. albicans SC5314 was 128 μg/mL. Chrysin suppressed biofilm metabolic activity, reduced biomass, and decreased cell viability in a concentration-dependent manner, as demonstrated by XTT reduction assay, crystal violet staining, and live/dead fluorescence staining. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) revealed progressive dismantling of hyphal networks and disruption of biofilm architecture. Chrysin significantly elevated intracellular reactive oxygen species (ROS) levels and induced mitochondrial membrane potential (MMP) depolarization in a dose-dependent manner, indicating that oxidative stress induction is a key antifungal mechanism. In a murine oral candidiasis model, chrysin reduced fungal burden and tongue lesion scores in a concentration-dependent manner, with the 256 μg/mL group achieving outcomes comparable to fluconazole. Chrysin also attenuated pro-inflammatory cytokines interleukin-6 (IL-6) and tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α), while increasing interleukin-10 (IL-10). Biosafety assessment demonstrated cell viability above 80% in human oral keratinocytes (HOK) and above 85% in mouse fibroblasts (L929) at concentrations up to 512 μg/mL, with no observable organ toxicity in vivo. Collectively, these findings establish chrysin as a potent, mechanistically defined, and safe natural antifungal candidate with promising translational potential for the management of C. albicans biofilm-associated infections.

Biofouling significantly degrades vessel performance by increasing fuel consumption, harmful emissions (SO2, NOx, CO2), and maintenance costs, underscoring the role of effective fouling control coatings. However, the accuracy of antifouling coating performance assessments may be compromised by local fouling dynamics, particularly the influence of adjacent biofouled surfaces. This study investigates how proximity to pre-fouled panels coated with an epoxy primer affects biofouling settlement and growth on newly immersed coatings under both static and dynamic exposure conditions. Panels placed adjacent to heavily fouled surfaces exhibited accelerated colonization, with fouling coverage nearly doubling within three weeks compared to isolated controls. In static exposures, proximity led to the bypassing of early biofilm stages through lateral propagation via spores, sloughed fragments, and biofilm material. Under dynamic conditions, hydrodynamic forces amplified this effect, promoting faster dispersal and settlement, particularly of filamentous green and brown algae. These findings reveal that local propagation can significantly alter biofouling succession and growth rates, resulting in earlier community development and increased fouling intensity. Without careful spatial separation and test design, localized fouling pressure may be artificially elevated, leading to skewed interpretations of antifouling performance. Conversely, controlled propagation may serve as a tool for accelerated stress testing under high-biofouling conditions. This study emphasizes the need to account for biofouling propagation in experimental design to ensure reliable, reproducible antifouling evaluations.

Biofouling-communities of organisms that grow on submerged hard surfaces-creates pathways for the spread of invasive marine species and diseases. To manage this risk, international vessels are increasingly required to demonstrate effective biofouling management, which in turn necessitates underwater inspections and the analysis of large volumes of hull imagery to verify biofouling status. Automated assessment with computer vision can streamline this process. This work shows how the interpretable Component Features (ComFe) approach, combined with a DINOv2 Vision Transformer (ViT) foundation model, can address this challenge efficiently and effectively. ComFe achieves competitive performance in comparison to previous non-interpretable CNN methods, with fewer parameters and greater transparency-highlighting which image regions and training examples drive classifications. All code, data, and model weights are publicly released.

Microplastics in coastal waters provide persistent surfaces for microbial colonization and biofilm formation, supporting complex microbial assemblages known as the plastisphere. This study examines the plastisphere-biofouling nexus through a PRISMA-guided systematic review, bibliometric mapping, narrative-quantitative synthesis, and conceptual evidence integration of studies published between 2015 and 2025. From 1,248 records identified in Web of Science Core Collection and Scopus, 124 primary studies were retained for comparative synthesis. The reviewed evidence shows that microplastics frequently support distinct biofilm-associated microbial communities, although reported patterns vary across polymer type, exposure duration, environmental setting, microbial method, and biofilm measurement approach. Proteobacteria and Bacteroidetes were repeatedly reported among dominant bacterial groups, while opportunistic genera such as Vibrio and Pseudoalteromonas were detected in some plastisphere biofilms. Evidence for polymer-specific microbial diversity, contaminant retention, and environmental-driver effects remains context-dependent. Biofilm-coated microplastics may modify contaminant interactions under specific conditions, but current evidence does not support universal contaminant enhancement, confirmed pathogen transmission, or direct human health risk. This review identifies the plastisphere-biofouling nexus as an emerging ecological interface in coastal waters and highlights the need for standardized, field-relevant, and functionally validated studies.

Natural deep eutectic solvents (NADES) have recently emerged as promising 'green' antibiofilm agents due to their ability to solubilize biological macromolecules. In this study, three chemically distinct NADES formulations were evaluated against Pseudomonas fluorescens WCS365 and Staphylococcus epidermidis ATCC 35984. The tested formulations choline chloride-lactic acid (CCLA), choline chloride-urea (CCU), and choline chloride-xylitol (CCX) were assessed for their effects on planktonic growth, biofilm formation, and mature biofilms. All NADES showed moderate inhibition of planktonic growth, while biofilm formation was significantly reduced in a formulation- and species-dependent manner, with CCLA displaying the strongest activity. Treatment of pre-formed 24 h biofilms resulted in partial but significant biomass reduction, reaching up to ∼69% for P. fluorescens and ∼51% for S. epidermidis. Confocal microscopy confirmed pronounced structural disruption of mature biofilms following NADES exposure, particularly for CCLA. These findings highlight the potential of organic acid-based NADES as biocides, which are more environmentally compatible than conventional biocides.

Berberine, a naturally occurring isoquinoline alkaloid, has demonstrated strong antibiofilm properties against Staphylococcus aureus. However, the molecular mechanisms underlying this activity remain poorly understood. Here, we report that berberine effectively inhibits S. aureus biofilm formation with a minimum biofilm inhibitory concentration (MBIC) of 32 µg ml^-1. XTT assays demonstrated a marked reduction in biofilm metabolic activity, while high-content screening (HCS) combined with three-dimensional reconstruction revealed significant decreases in biofilm biomass and thickness. Mechanistically, berberine selectively suppressed the production of key extracellular polymeric substance (EPS) components, particularly polysaccharide intercellular adhesin (PIA) and proteins, without significantly affecting extracellular DNA (eDNA) levels. Transcriptomic profiling integrated with protein-protein interaction (PPI) network modeling suggested that srrA, a response regulator within the two-component system, may serve as a central hub gene downregulated by berberine. Quantitative PCR (qPCR) further corroborated the altered expression of srrA and associated genes (walR, atpB, luxS, icaR). Collectively, these findings provide mechanistic insights into berberine's antibiofilm activity and point to srrA-mediated EPS regulation as a candidate pathway warranting further investigation.

Biofouling presents ecological and economic challenges for marine industries, yet patterns of community development in relevant environments remain underexplored. In this study, we investigated seasonal (winter vs. summer) and spatial (sheltered vs. exposed) patterns of eukaryotic biofouling across six coastal sites in New Zealand. Using standardised mesh substrates and DNA metabarcoding with the 18S rRNA gene, we characterised over 10,000 amplicon sequence variants (ASVs) across 216 samples, revealing 541 species from 249 taxonomic classes. Exposed sites exhibited marked seasonal contrasts: winter communities were dominated by hydroids (e.g. Coryne eximia), whereas summer assemblages were rich in amphipods (e.g. Jassa slatteryi). Sheltered sites showed more stable biomass and diversity but greater site-level variability, especially in summer. Temperature and wind fetch were strongly associated with community variation, with larger seasonal fluctuations observed under high-exposure conditions. Notably, several dominant species were non-native, underscoring the importance of early detection and tailored antifouling strategies.