3D-printed temperature and shear stress-controlled rocker platform for enhanced biofilm incubation
Abstract Growing biofilms of thermophilic (heat-loving) and psychrotrophic (cold-tolerant) bacteria pose several challenges due to specific environmental requirements. Thermophilic bacteria typically grow between 45 and 80 $$^{\circ }$$ C, while psychrotrophic bacteria thrive between 0 and 15 $$^{...
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| Main Authors: | , , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
Nature Portfolio
2025-06-01
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| Series: | Scientific Reports |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-025-04575-3 |
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| Summary: | Abstract Growing biofilms of thermophilic (heat-loving) and psychrotrophic (cold-tolerant) bacteria pose several challenges due to specific environmental requirements. Thermophilic bacteria typically grow between 45 and 80 $$^{\circ }$$ C, while psychrotrophic bacteria thrive between 0 and 15 $$^{\circ }$$ C. Maintaining the precise temperature and fluid conditions required for biofilm growth can be technically challenging. To overcome these challenges, we designed the Bio-Rocker, a temperature- and shear stress-controlled rocker platform for biofilm incubation. The platform supports temperatures between − 9 and 99 $$^{\circ }$$ C, while its digital controller can adjust the rocking speed from 1 to 99 $$^{\circ }$$ /s and set rocking angles up to ±19 $$^{\circ }$$ . This ability, together with data from analytical models and multi-physics simulations, provides control over the shear stress distribution at the growth surfaces, peaking at 2.4 N/m $$^2$$ . Finally, we evaluated the system’s ability to grow bacteria at different temperatures, shear stress, and materials by looking at the coverage and thickness of the biofilm, as well as the total biomass. A step-by-step guide, 3D CAD files, and controller software is provided for easy replication of the Bio-Rocker, using mostly 3D-printed and off-the-shelf components. We conclude that the Bio-Rocker’s performance is comparable to high-end commercial systems like the Enviro-Genie (Scientific Industries) yet costs less than $350 dollars to produce. |
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| ISSN: | 2045-2322 |