Specific Features of Formation of Multispecies Microbial Biofilms on Polyethylene Surface

Patterns of formation of three-species biofilms on the surface of an LDPE-based composite material were studied using a mixture of pure planktonic cultures of microorganisms capable of degrading this polymer. This is the first report of the role of the ascomycete Yarrowia lipolytica as a primary colonizer in this system, forming aggregates with gram-negative bacteria Pseudomonas aeruginosa or Chromobacterium violaceum. Addition of biocidal compounds of the guanidine family to LDPE as a component of the filler was shown to result in selective suppression of biofilm growth of some microorganisms, while it had no effect on the initial stages of adhesion and on planktonic growth of the cultures. Gram-positive bacteria of the genus Kocuria exhibited the highest sensitivity to these biocidal agents.