Sulphate Reducing Bacteria in Biofilms on Thermosetting Polymers/Zn Composite Layers

Abstract

Bacterial adhesion to surfaces is the first step in the formation of a biofilm and has been studied extensively over the past decades in many diverse applications. Sulphate Reducing Bacteria (SRB) is a group of phylogenetically diverse anaerobic microorganisms that were first discovered by Beijerinck in 1895. This work investigates the attachment of Sulphate Reducing Bacteria and the modification of roughness before and after the attachments on the surfaces of zinc and thermosetting polymers/zinc composite layers obtained by electro co-deposition. There were used two types of thermosetting polymers: phenol – formaldehyde resin (type NOVOLAC) and epoxi resin. For investigations of the surfaces were used atomic force and epifluorescence microscopy methods (AFM and EFM, respectively). Sessile bacteria on coupons were stained with 4’, 6-diamidino-2-phenylindol (DAPI) and visualized by EFM as well as AFM. The best imaging conditions for AFM were assessed.