Biomolecular Engineering, Bioengineering, Biochemicals, Biofuels, and Food

A combined computational fluid dynamics (CFD) and experimental approach to quantify the adhesion force of bacterial cells attached to a plane surface

  1. Benjamin Boulbene1,2,3,
  2. Jérôme Morchain1,2,3,
  3. Muriel Mercier Bonin1,2,3,
  4. Sébastien Janel4,
  5. Frank Lafont4,
  6. Philippe Schmitz1,2,3,*

Article first published online: 8 FEB 2012

DOI: 10.1002/aic.13747

Issue

AIChE Journal

AIChE Journal

Volume 58, Issue 12, pages 3614–3624, December 2012

Additional Information

How to Cite

Boulbene, B., Morchain, J., Bonin, M. M., Janel, S., Lafont, F. and Schmitz, P. (2012), A combined computational fluid dynamics (CFD) and experimental approach to quantify the adhesion force of bacterial cells attached to a plane surface. AIChE J., 58: 3614–3624. doi: 10.1002/aic.13747

Author Information

  1. 1

    Université de Toulouse, INSA, UPS, INP, LISBP, Toulouse F-31077, France

  2. 2

    INRA, UMR792, Ingénierie des Systèmes Biologiques et des Procédés, Toulouse F-31400, France

  3. 3

    CNRS, UMR5504, Toulouse F-31400, France

  4. 4

    CMIP-Institut Pasteur de Lille, CNRS UMR8204, INSERM U1019, Univ. Lille Nord de France, Lille F-59021, France

*Université de Toulouse, INSA, UPS, INP, LISBP, Toulouse F-31077, France

Publication History

  1. Issue published online: 8 NOV 2012
  2. Article first published online: 8 FEB 2012
  3. Accepted manuscript online: 12 JAN 2012 11:47AM EST
  4. Manuscript Revised: 15 DEC 2011
  5. Manuscript Received: 22 APR 2011

Funded by

  • ANR INTERSPORE project

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Keywords:

  • bacterial adhesion;
  • shear flow;
  • hydrodynamics;
  • model

Abstract

A three-dimensional model is developed to study the laminar shear flow past a bacterial cell attached to a plane surface. The induced hydrodynamic forces and torque exerted on the cell are computed to clarify the prevailing mechanisms involved in the detachment of model bacteria. Results are discussed in terms of drag and torque magnitude as a function of the angles defining the orientation of the cell. It is shown that reorientation and rolling of spheroid-shaped cells are favored. It is also confirmed that rod-shaped cells would tend to lie on the surface and become aligned with the flow. The model is used to quantify the adhesion force of spheroid Bacillus cereus spores to stainless steel, deduced from previously described experiments in a shear stress flow chamber. The magnitude of the predicted adhesion force is close to that obtained using atomic force microscopy under similar experimental conditions. © 2012 American Institute of Chemical Engineers AIChE J, 2012

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