On the effectiveness of electrical characterization of mature Staphylococcal Biofilm
Abstract In this paper, the authors describe an experimental study carried out on biological samples consisting of a 96-h mature Methicillin-Resistant-Staphylococcus-Aureus biofilm. The initial objective was to electrically characterize the biofilm using impedance spectroscopy, by scanning a wide ra...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Nature Portfolio
2025-03-01
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| Series: | Scientific Reports |
| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-025-93300-1 |
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| author | M. Balato M. Vitelli C. Petrarca S. Minucci M. Aversa U. Galdiero M. R. Catania E. Roscetto L. Costanzo A. G. Chiariello M. Mariconda G. Balato |
| author_facet | M. Balato M. Vitelli C. Petrarca S. Minucci M. Aversa U. Galdiero M. R. Catania E. Roscetto L. Costanzo A. G. Chiariello M. Mariconda G. Balato |
| author_sort | M. Balato |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Abstract In this paper, the authors describe an experimental study carried out on biological samples consisting of a 96-h mature Methicillin-Resistant-Staphylococcus-Aureus biofilm. The initial objective was to electrically characterize the biofilm using impedance spectroscopy, by scanning a wide range of frequencies [1 Hz ÷ 10 MHz]. Concurrently, confocal microscopy observations, XTT assays, crystal violet staining method and colony-forming unit assay were performed to characterize the biological activity. The experimental investigation unexpectedly demonstrated that the reproducibility of measurement data was significantly affected by the destructive interaction between the electric field and the biofilm. This interaction was found to be strongly dependent on both the amplitude of the field and the exposure time. Moreover, a significative reduction of total biomass of the biofilm was found in a specific frequency range [10 kHz ÷ 100 kHz]. The results suggest several limitations of impedance spectroscopy as a tool for biofilm identification, since the “sample under test” must not be altered during the measurement process. Conversely, they demonstrate the deleterious impact of the electric field on the biofilm, thereby unveiling a potentially efficacious therapeutic paradigm for biofilm treatment. We expect that the open issues highlighted in this paper will be a source of inspiration for further understanding of the mechanism of interaction between the electric field and biofilm, both in terms of treatment and diagnosis. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-05235621b31d44b8a4daf04dda0f207a |
| institution | DOAJ |
| issn | 2045-2322 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-03-01 |
| publisher | Nature Portfolio |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Scientific Reports |
| spelling | doaj-art-05235621b31d44b8a4daf04dda0f207a2025-08-20T02:56:09ZengNature PortfolioScientific Reports2045-23222025-03-0115111010.1038/s41598-025-93300-1On the effectiveness of electrical characterization of mature Staphylococcal BiofilmM. Balato0M. Vitelli1C. Petrarca2S. Minucci3M. Aversa4U. Galdiero5M. R. Catania6E. Roscetto7L. Costanzo8A. G. Chiariello9M. Mariconda10G. Balato11Department of Electrical Engineering and Information Technologies (DIETI), University of Naples Federico IIDepartment of Engineering, Università degli Studi della Campania “Luigi Vanvitelli”Department of Electrical Engineering and Information Technologies (DIETI), University of Naples Federico IIDepartment of Engineering and Sciences, Faculty of Technological and Innovation Sciences, Universitas MercatorumDepartment of Public Health, University of Naples Federico IIDepartment of Molecular Medicine and Medical Biotechnologies, University of Naples Federico IIDepartment of Molecular Medicine and Medical Biotechnologies, University of Naples Federico IIDepartment of Molecular Medicine and Medical Biotechnologies, University of Naples Federico IIDepartment of Engineering, Università degli Studi della Campania “Luigi Vanvitelli”Department of Engineering, Università degli Studi della Campania “Luigi Vanvitelli”Department of Public Health, University of Naples Federico IIDepartment of Public Health, University of Naples Federico IIAbstract In this paper, the authors describe an experimental study carried out on biological samples consisting of a 96-h mature Methicillin-Resistant-Staphylococcus-Aureus biofilm. The initial objective was to electrically characterize the biofilm using impedance spectroscopy, by scanning a wide range of frequencies [1 Hz ÷ 10 MHz]. Concurrently, confocal microscopy observations, XTT assays, crystal violet staining method and colony-forming unit assay were performed to characterize the biological activity. The experimental investigation unexpectedly demonstrated that the reproducibility of measurement data was significantly affected by the destructive interaction between the electric field and the biofilm. This interaction was found to be strongly dependent on both the amplitude of the field and the exposure time. Moreover, a significative reduction of total biomass of the biofilm was found in a specific frequency range [10 kHz ÷ 100 kHz]. The results suggest several limitations of impedance spectroscopy as a tool for biofilm identification, since the “sample under test” must not be altered during the measurement process. Conversely, they demonstrate the deleterious impact of the electric field on the biofilm, thereby unveiling a potentially efficacious therapeutic paradigm for biofilm treatment. We expect that the open issues highlighted in this paper will be a source of inspiration for further understanding of the mechanism of interaction between the electric field and biofilm, both in terms of treatment and diagnosis.https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-025-93300-1 |
| spellingShingle | M. Balato M. Vitelli C. Petrarca S. Minucci M. Aversa U. Galdiero M. R. Catania E. Roscetto L. Costanzo A. G. Chiariello M. Mariconda G. Balato On the effectiveness of electrical characterization of mature Staphylococcal Biofilm Scientific Reports |
| title | On the effectiveness of electrical characterization of mature Staphylococcal Biofilm |
| title_full | On the effectiveness of electrical characterization of mature Staphylococcal Biofilm |
| title_fullStr | On the effectiveness of electrical characterization of mature Staphylococcal Biofilm |
| title_full_unstemmed | On the effectiveness of electrical characterization of mature Staphylococcal Biofilm |
| title_short | On the effectiveness of electrical characterization of mature Staphylococcal Biofilm |
| title_sort | on the effectiveness of electrical characterization of mature staphylococcal biofilm |
| url | https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-025-93300-1 |
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