Atomic force microscopy study of morphological modifications induced by different decontamination treatments on Escherichia coli

• DOI: 10.1016/j.ultramic.2017.07.012
• Publication Date: 2017-07-14T22:15:10Z
• Authors: Florina Lucica Zo...; Cristina Ionescu; Liviu Stefan Craciun; Bogdan Zorila
• Keywords: 0301 basic medicine; 0303 health sciences; 03 medical and health sciences; Escherichia coli; Aluminum Silicates; Microscopy, Atomic Force; Decontamination; Disinfectants; 3. Good health

In this paper we used atomic force microscopy (AFM) to investigate the surface morphology of Escherichia coli, after being subjected to decontamination treatments, at sub-MICs levels (minimal inhibitory concentrations), with different disinfectants used in hospitals, pharmaceutical, food industry and even in our home, as an essential means to prevent the spreading of microorganisms. This article focuses on different morphological modifications adopted by E. coli cells as responses to the different modes of action of these substances. For high-resolution AFM images bacterial cells were immobilized on mica (Muscovite) disks. Each kind of treatment induces its distinct morphological changes, due to different mechanisms of action.