Investigating the Effect of Zinc Salts on <i>Escherichia coli</i> and <i>Enterococcus faecalis</i> Biofilm Formation
Water supply and sewage drainage pipes have a critical role to play in the provision of clean water and sanitation, and pipe material selection influences infrastructure life, water quality, and microbial communities. Zinc-containing compounds are highly valued due to their mechanical properties, an...
Saved in:
| Main Authors: | , , , , , , , |
|---|---|
| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
MDPI AG
2025-07-01
|
| Series: | Applied Sciences |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2076-3417/15/15/8383 |
| Tags: |
Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
|
| _version_ | 1849405535121571840 |
|---|---|
| author | Sara Deumić Ahmed El Sayed Mahmoud Hsino Andrzej Kulesa Neira Crnčević Naida Vladavić Aja Borić Monia Avdić |
| author_facet | Sara Deumić Ahmed El Sayed Mahmoud Hsino Andrzej Kulesa Neira Crnčević Naida Vladavić Aja Borić Monia Avdić |
| author_sort | Sara Deumić |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Water supply and sewage drainage pipes have a critical role to play in the provision of clean water and sanitation, and pipe material selection influences infrastructure life, water quality, and microbial communities. Zinc-containing compounds are highly valued due to their mechanical properties, anticorrosion behavior, and antimicrobial properties. However, the effect of zinc salts, such as zinc sulfate heptahydrate and zinc chloride, on biofilm-forming bacteria, including <i>Escherichia coli</i> and <i>Enterococcus faecalis,</i> is not well established. This study investigates the antibacterial properties of these zinc salts under simulated pipeline conditions using minimum inhibitory concentration assays, biofilm production assays, and antibiotic sensitivity tests. Findings indicate that zinc chloride is more antimicrobial due to its higher solubility and bioavailability of Zn<sup>2+</sup> ions. At higher concentrations, zinc salts inhibit the development of a biofilm, whereas sub-inhibitory concentrations enhance the growth of biofilm, suggesting a stress response in bacteria. zinc chloride also enhances antibiotic efficacy against <i>E. coli</i> but induces resistance in <i>E. faecalis</i>. These findings highlight the dual role of zinc salts in preventing biofilm formation and modulating antimicrobial resistance, necessitating further research to optimize material selection for water distribution networks and mitigate biofilm-associated risks in pipeline systems. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-d6a0e97e8b764b3db09797161fcbcbc0 |
| institution | Kabale University |
| issn | 2076-3417 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-07-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Applied Sciences |
| spelling | doaj-art-d6a0e97e8b764b3db09797161fcbcbc02025-08-20T03:36:38ZengMDPI AGApplied Sciences2076-34172025-07-011515838310.3390/app15158383Investigating the Effect of Zinc Salts on <i>Escherichia coli</i> and <i>Enterococcus faecalis</i> Biofilm FormationSara Deumić0Ahmed El Sayed1Mahmoud Hsino2Andrzej Kulesa3Neira Crnčević4Naida Vladavić5Aja Borić6Monia Avdić7Department of Genetics and Bioengineering, International Burch University, Francuske Revolucije bb, 71000 Sarajevo, Bosnia and HerzegovinaCivil Engineering Programme, International Burch University, Francuske Revolucije bb, 71000 Sarajevo, Bosnia and HerzegovinaDepartment of Civil Engineering, State University of Applied Sciences in Pila, 64-920 Pila, PolandThe Polish Association of Appraisers and Expert, 01-461 Warsaw, PolandDepartment of Genetics and Bioengineering, International Burch University, Francuske Revolucije bb, 71000 Sarajevo, Bosnia and HerzegovinaHealth Care Study, University of Džemal Bijedić in Mostar, 88104 Mostar, Bosnia and HerzegovinaDepartment of Genetics and Bioengineering, International Burch University, Francuske Revolucije bb, 71000 Sarajevo, Bosnia and HerzegovinaDepartment of Genetics and Bioengineering, International Burch University, Francuske Revolucije bb, 71000 Sarajevo, Bosnia and HerzegovinaWater supply and sewage drainage pipes have a critical role to play in the provision of clean water and sanitation, and pipe material selection influences infrastructure life, water quality, and microbial communities. Zinc-containing compounds are highly valued due to their mechanical properties, anticorrosion behavior, and antimicrobial properties. However, the effect of zinc salts, such as zinc sulfate heptahydrate and zinc chloride, on biofilm-forming bacteria, including <i>Escherichia coli</i> and <i>Enterococcus faecalis,</i> is not well established. This study investigates the antibacterial properties of these zinc salts under simulated pipeline conditions using minimum inhibitory concentration assays, biofilm production assays, and antibiotic sensitivity tests. Findings indicate that zinc chloride is more antimicrobial due to its higher solubility and bioavailability of Zn<sup>2+</sup> ions. At higher concentrations, zinc salts inhibit the development of a biofilm, whereas sub-inhibitory concentrations enhance the growth of biofilm, suggesting a stress response in bacteria. zinc chloride also enhances antibiotic efficacy against <i>E. coli</i> but induces resistance in <i>E. faecalis</i>. These findings highlight the dual role of zinc salts in preventing biofilm formation and modulating antimicrobial resistance, necessitating further research to optimize material selection for water distribution networks and mitigate biofilm-associated risks in pipeline systems.https://www.mdpi.com/2076-3417/15/15/8383water distribution systemszinc salts<i>Escherichia coli</i><i>Enterococcus faecalis</i> |
| spellingShingle | Sara Deumić Ahmed El Sayed Mahmoud Hsino Andrzej Kulesa Neira Crnčević Naida Vladavić Aja Borić Monia Avdić Investigating the Effect of Zinc Salts on <i>Escherichia coli</i> and <i>Enterococcus faecalis</i> Biofilm Formation Applied Sciences water distribution systems zinc salts <i>Escherichia coli</i> <i>Enterococcus faecalis</i> |
| title | Investigating the Effect of Zinc Salts on <i>Escherichia coli</i> and <i>Enterococcus faecalis</i> Biofilm Formation |
| title_full | Investigating the Effect of Zinc Salts on <i>Escherichia coli</i> and <i>Enterococcus faecalis</i> Biofilm Formation |
| title_fullStr | Investigating the Effect of Zinc Salts on <i>Escherichia coli</i> and <i>Enterococcus faecalis</i> Biofilm Formation |
| title_full_unstemmed | Investigating the Effect of Zinc Salts on <i>Escherichia coli</i> and <i>Enterococcus faecalis</i> Biofilm Formation |
| title_short | Investigating the Effect of Zinc Salts on <i>Escherichia coli</i> and <i>Enterococcus faecalis</i> Biofilm Formation |
| title_sort | investigating the effect of zinc salts on i escherichia coli i and i enterococcus faecalis i biofilm formation |
| topic | water distribution systems zinc salts <i>Escherichia coli</i> <i>Enterococcus faecalis</i> |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2076-3417/15/15/8383 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT saradeumic investigatingtheeffectofzincsaltsoniescherichiacoliiandienterococcusfaecalisibiofilmformation AT ahmedelsayed investigatingtheeffectofzincsaltsoniescherichiacoliiandienterococcusfaecalisibiofilmformation AT mahmoudhsino investigatingtheeffectofzincsaltsoniescherichiacoliiandienterococcusfaecalisibiofilmformation AT andrzejkulesa investigatingtheeffectofzincsaltsoniescherichiacoliiandienterococcusfaecalisibiofilmformation AT neiracrncevic investigatingtheeffectofzincsaltsoniescherichiacoliiandienterococcusfaecalisibiofilmformation AT naidavladavic investigatingtheeffectofzincsaltsoniescherichiacoliiandienterococcusfaecalisibiofilmformation AT ajaboric investigatingtheeffectofzincsaltsoniescherichiacoliiandienterococcusfaecalisibiofilmformation AT moniaavdic investigatingtheeffectofzincsaltsoniescherichiacoliiandienterococcusfaecalisibiofilmformation |