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View/Open - ARAN - National University of Ireland, Galway

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Chapter 2<br />

can be performed without the labour intensive process within a closed<br />

sterile environment. The handling <strong>of</strong> the surfaces for enumeration <strong>of</strong> viable<br />

cells also allows an opportunity for contamination if aseptic techniques are<br />

not maintained.<br />

2.1.6. Reproducibility <strong>of</strong> bi<strong>of</strong>ilm studies using the CBR<br />

In addition to examining bi<strong>of</strong>ilm density on multiple surfaces and using<br />

multiple strains it is also important to investigate the limits <strong>of</strong> intralaboratory<br />

reproducibility derived from repeated experiments.<br />

Reproducibility is frequently represented through the use <strong>of</strong> the standard<br />

deviation (SD). In similar research using the CBR and polycarbonate as a<br />

bi<strong>of</strong>ilm substrata Goeres et al. found the SD <strong>of</strong> the mean log 10 density to be<br />

0·30 for Klebsiella pneumoniae, 0·22 for Streptococcus pneumoniae and<br />

0·17 for Pseudomonas aeruginosa [72]. Goeres and colleagues investigated<br />

intra-laboratory reproducibility (also referred to as repeatability) and the<br />

impact <strong>of</strong> altering the conditions such as flow rate, media concentration<br />

and stir rate. In total 21 experiments were performed and the results were<br />

assessed on triplicate coupons taken at random from each run. Replicate<br />

experiments were undertaken to investigate the reproducibility under each<br />

alternative set <strong>of</strong> conditions. Goeres found that overall that altering the<br />

conditions slightly such as 2°C temperature change or 10% reduction in<br />

concentration <strong>of</strong> media did not significantly reduce the density <strong>of</strong> bi<strong>of</strong>ilm<br />

formed on the surface [72].<br />

Buckingham-Meyer et al. also compared the SD <strong>of</strong> measures <strong>of</strong> S.<br />

pneumoniae and P. aeruginosa bi<strong>of</strong>ilm density attached to glass coupons<br />

using the CBR model and four other bi<strong>of</strong>ilm models [117]. All experiments<br />

repeated in duplicate with two glass coupons used in each experiment for<br />

all models (n=4). The other models included a drip-flow reactor model<br />

(inoculum flowed over the coupons using syringe device), a static bi<strong>of</strong>ilm<br />

model (inoculum infused in solid media in contact with the surface over<br />

Page<br />

45

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