Effect of cell surface hydrophobicity in microbial biofilm formation

Cell surface hydrophobicity may be regarded as most relevant parameter for the assay of microbes for their biodegradation capability and suggested for the screening of such microbial strains from the mixed population. The cells having more hydrophobic nature usually show maximum capability of biofilm formation and biodegradation. Large numbers of bacteria attached to hydrophobic plastics with little or no surface charge, polyethylene, polystyrene, moderate numbers attached to hydrophilic metals with a positive, or neutral surface charge; and very few attached to hydrophilic, negatively charged substrata. The study that determination of cell surface hydrophobicity is helpful to decide the strain having higher capability to biodegrade LDPE if it maintains higher hydrophobicity.