Boron doped diamond as a low biofouling material in aquatic environments: Assessment of Pseudomonas aeruginosa biofilm formation

Boron doped diamond (BDD), given the robustness of the material, is becoming an electrode of choice for applications which require long term electrochemical monitoring of analytes in aqueous environments. However, despite the extensive work in this area there are no studies which directly assess the biofilm formation (biofouling) capabilities of the material, which is an essential consideration since biofouling often causes deterioration in sensor performance. Pseudomonas aeruginosa is one of the most prevalent bacterial pathogens linked to water-related diseases, with a strong capacity for forming biofilms on surfaces that are exposed to aquatic environments. In this study we comparatively evaluate the biofouling capabilities of oxygen-terminated (O-)BDD against materials commonly employed as either the packaging or sensing element in water quality sensors, with an aim to identify factors which control biofilm formation on BDD. We assess biofilm formation of P. aeruginosa monospecies in two different gro...