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Effective inactivation of Candida albicans biofilms by using supercritical carbon dioxide

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Abstract

Present sterilization methods for biofilms in medical devices have limitations. Therefore, an alternative sterilization method using supercritical carbon dioxide (SC-CO2) was tested on Candida albicans biofilms. The effect of varying pressure, temperature, and treatment time on the inactivation of C. albicans spores in suspensions and in biofilms was examined. The parameters such as treatment time, pressure, and temperature that led to the complete inactivation of C. albicans biofilms ranged 5–20 min, 100–200 bar, and 35–45 °C, respectively. Notably, treatment of SC-CO2 at either 100 bar and 40 °C or 200 bar and 30 °C induced complete inactivation of spores within 5 min. Furthermore, it was found that wet biofilms (0.4 %, w/w) had higher sensitivity to SC-CO2 than dried biofilms. Finally, spore inactivation was confirmed by confocal laser scanning microscopy. In this study, the use of a low-temperature SC-CO2 sterilization method was proven to be effective in fungal biofilm inactivation, and the moisture content of biofilms was revealed to be the key factor for biofilm inactivation.

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Acknowledgments

This work was supported by grants from the Advanced Biomass R&D Center of Korea (2011-0031353) funded through the Korean Government (MSIP) and also from the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy (10047873). This research was performed at the Korea University Food Safety Hall for the Institute of Biomedical Science and Food Safety.

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    Authors and Affiliations

    1. Department of Biotechnology, Graduate School, Korea University, Seoul, 136-713, Republic of Korea

      Hyong Seok Park & Kyoung Heon Kim

    2. BK21 PLUS School of Life Science and Biotechnology, Korea University, Seoul, 136-713, Republic of Korea

      Jungwoo Yang & Kyoung Heon Kim

    3. Division of Infectious Diseases, Department of Internal Medicine, Ewha Womans University School of Medicine, Seoul, 158-710, Republic of Korea

      Hee Jung Choi

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    1. Hyong Seok Park
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    2. Jungwoo Yang
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    Correspondence to Kyoung Heon Kim.

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    H. S. Park and J. Yang contributed equally to this work.

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    Park, H.S., Yang, J., Choi, H.J. et al. Effective inactivation of Candida albicans biofilms by using supercritical carbon dioxide. Bioprocess Biosyst Eng 38, 1731–1737 (2015). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00449-015-1414-7

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    • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00449-015-1414-7

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