Effects of nutrients on biofilm formation and detachment of a Pseudomonas putida strain isolated from a paper machine

The aim of this study was to determine the effect of varying nutrient conditions on biofilm formation of a Pseudomonas putida strain isolated from a paper machine under controlled conditions. Biofilm accumulation, was investigated using a laminar flow cell reactor in a defined mineral medium. Our results indicate that increasing nutrient concentration (from 0.1 to 0.5 g l−1 glucose, C/N=40, C/P=100) or phosphate concentration (from C/P=200 to C/P=100) increased the rate and extent of biofilm accumulation, however, higher nutrient (1 g l−1 glucose, C/N=40, C/P=100) or phosphate (C/P=50) concentration reduced biofilm accumulation rate because of a higher detachment. The rate and extent of biofilm accumulation increased with nitrogen concentration (from C/N=90 to C/N=20). Detachment is a key parameter that influences biofilm accumulation since the early stage (2 h) of colonisation and strongly depends on nutrient conditions. In practice, controlling nutrient levels may be interesting to reduce biofilm formation in the paper industry.