OPEN CELL FOAMS-AN EMERGING,LOW-COST BACTERIA ADHESIVE SURFACE FOR ENERGY AND ENVIRONMENTAL APPLICATIONS

摘要

Bacteria adhesive surfaces (BAS) have diverse applications,such as water treatment,biofuels,and solvents production.However,currently their large-scale usage is hindered by high materials cost.Inexpensive open-cell foams can potentially serve as substrates for low-cost BAS,enabling their wider usage.This work demonstrates a passive approach for attachment of Escherichia coli or E.coli to a polyester polyurethane open-cell foam surface using pH of the wastewater.The foam's ionic-responsive charge property was used to bind negatively charged bacteria to its pore surface at different pH conditions.At the best pH condition,the foam adsorbed E.coli with over 99% efficiency.The pH-driven bacteria adhesion to foam surface is simple,effective,and passive,therefore has potential for industrial-scale applications.