Effects of anti-odor automobile air-conditioning system products on adherence of Serratia marcescens to aluminum

Drago, G; Simmons, Robert B.; Price, Daniel L.; Crow, Sidney A.; Ahearn, Donald G.

doi:10.1038/sj.jim.7000290

Cited by 6 publications

(2 citation statements)

References 8 publications

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“…Some of these products have been tested under laboratory conditions and have demonstrated modest control of the growth of resident biofilms [3]. The inherent antimicrobial properties of copper and its alloys against both eukaryotic and prokaryotic organisms [4, 6, 16] offer an alternative approach to control the growth and distribution of pathogens and allergens through HVAC systems [22].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Characterization and Control of the Microbial Community Affiliated with Copper or Aluminum Heat Exchangers of HVAC Systems

et al. 2012

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Microbial growth in heating ventilation and air-conditioning (HVAC) systems with the subsequent contamination of indoor air is of increasing concern. Microbes and the subsequent biofilms grow easily within heat exchangers. A comparative study where heat exchangers fabricated from antimicrobial copper were evaluated for their ability to limit microbial growth was conducted using a full-scale HVAC system under conditions of normal flow rates using single-pass outside air. Resident bacterial and fungal populations were quantitatively assessed by removing triplicate sets of coupons from each exchanger commencing the fourth week after their installation for the next 30 weeks. The intrinsic biofilm associated with each coupon was extracted and characterized using selective and differential media. The predominant organisms isolated from aluminum exchangers were species of Methylobacterium of which at least three colony morphologies and 11 distinct PFGE patterns we found; of the few bacteria isolated from the copper exchangers, the majority were species of Bacillus. The concentrations and type of bacteria recovered from the control, aluminum, exchangers were found to be dependent on the type of plating media used and were 11,411–47,257 CFU cm−2 per coupon surface. The concentration of fungi was found to average 378 CFU cm−2. Significantly lower concentrations of bacteria, 3 CFU cm−2, and fungi, 1 CFU cm−2, were recovered from copper exchangers regardless of the plating media used. Commonly used aluminum heat exchangers developed stable, mixed, bacterial/fungal biofilms in excess of 47,000 organisms per cm2 within 4 weeks of operation, whereas the antimicrobial properties of metallic copper were able to limit the microbial load affiliated with the copper heat exchangers to levels 99.97 % lower during the same time period.

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Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Characterization and Control of the Microbial Community Affiliated with Copper or Aluminum Heat Exchangers of HVAC Systems

et al. 2012

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“…Other studies have examined various coating additives and the eVects of additives on the adherence of Gram-negative bacteria to coatings [7], and the eYcacy of disinfectantcontaining xerogel coatings [3]. In this paper we report a method for the direct incorporation of silver ion into coatings for consumer, hospital, or industrial use.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 98%

Bactericidal silver ion delivery into hydrophobic coatings with surfactants

Texter¹,

Ziemer²,

Rhoades³

et al. 2007

J Ind Microbiol Biotechnol

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A much studied oil-soluble surfactant, bis[2-ethylhexyl]sulfosuccinate, sodium salt, was ion exchanged into the silver ion form and dissolved into microemulsions of immiscible polyurethane step monomers. Coating and curing of these microemulsions produced polyurethane coatings that exhibit bactericidal activity against representative Gram negative bacteria. After 24 h exposure, 0.006-0.012% weight Ag relative to coating weight (0.0013-0.0025 micromol Ag/cm2) results in the three-log reduction in Escherichia coli. A slightly higher level of 0.031% weight Ag relative to coating weight (0.006 micromol Ag/cm2) killed all of the E. coli after 12 h exposure. Similar results were obtained for Pseudomonas aeruginosa. Since the double-tail surfactant anion promotes reverse micelle formation in many different kinds of oils and solvents, it appears an excellent vector for incorporating low and effective amounts of silver ion into many industrial, hospital, and household coating formulations.

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Microbial communities related to volatile organic compound emission in automobile air conditioning units

Diekmann¹,

Burghartz

Remus

et al. 2012

Appl Microbiol Biotechnol

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During operation of mobile air conditioning (MAC) systems in automobiles, malodours can occur. We studied the microbial communities found on contaminated heat exchanger fins of 45 evaporators from car MAC systems which were operated in seven different regions of the world and identified corresponding volatile organic compounds. Collected biofilms were examined by scanning electron microscopy and fluorescent in situ hybridization. The detected bacteria were loosely attached to the metal surface. Further analyses of the bacteria using PCR-based single-strand conformation polymorphism and sequencing of isolated 16S rRNA gene fragments identified highly divergent microbial communities with multiple members of the Alphaproteobacteriales, Methylobacteria were the prevalent bacteria. In addition, Sphingomonadales, Burkholderiales, Bacillales, Alcanivorax spp. and Stenotrophomonas spp. were found among many others depending on the location the evaporators were operated. Interestingly, typical pathogenic bacteria related to air conditioning systems including Legionella spp. were not found. In order to determine the nature of the chemical compounds produced by the bacteria, the volatile organic compounds were examined by closed loop stripping analysis and identified by combined gas chromatography/mass spectrometry. Sulphur compounds, i.e. di-, tri- and multiple sulphides, acetylthiazole, aromatic compounds and diverse substituted pyrazines were detected. Mathematical clustering of the determined microbial community structures against their origin identified a European/American/Arabic cluster versus two mainly tropical Asian clusters. Interestingly, clustering of the determined volatiles against the origin of the corresponding MAC revealed a highly similar pattern. A close relationship of microbial community structure and resulting malodours to the climate and air quality at the location of MAC operation was concluded.

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Effects of anti-odor automobile air-conditioning system products on adherence of Serratia marcescens to aluminum

Cited by 6 publications

References 8 publications

Characterization and Control of the Microbial Community Affiliated with Copper or Aluminum Heat Exchangers of HVAC Systems

Characterization and Control of the Microbial Community Affiliated with Copper or Aluminum Heat Exchangers of HVAC Systems

Bactericidal silver ion delivery into hydrophobic coatings with surfactants

Microbial communities related to volatile organic compound emission in automobile air conditioning units

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