The ability of an antimicrobial agent to penetrate a biofilm is not correlated with its killing or removal efficiency

Abstract

The penetration ability of 12 antimicrobial agents, including antibiotics and biocides, was determined against biofilms of B. cereus and P. fluorescens using a colony biofilm assay. The surfactants benzalkonium chloride (BAC) and cetyltrimethyl ammonium bromide (CTAB), and the antibiotics ciprofloxacin and streptomycin were of interest due to their distinct activities. Erythromycin and CTAB were retarded by the presence of biofilms, whereas ciprofloxacin and BAC were not. The removal and killing efficacies of these four agents was additionally evaluated against biofilms formed in microtiter plates. The most efficient biocide was CTAB for both bacterial biofilms. Ciprofloxacin was the best antibiotic although none of the selected antimicrobial agents led to total biofilm removal and/or killing. Comparative analysis of the results obtained with colony biofilms and microtiter plate biofilms show that although extracellular polymeric substances and the biofilm structure are considered a determining factor in biofilm resistance, the ability of an antimicrobial agent to penetrate a biofilm is not correlated with its killing or removal efficiency. Also, the results reinforce the role of an appropriate antimicrobial selection as a key step in the design of disinfection processes for biofilm control.