Our research has led to a hydrogel that can serve as a model for biofilm contamination.
In cleaning tests, it is important that the test contamination on an object is as realistic as possible. In many systems, the contamination consists of bacteria that have developed a viscoelastic biofilm. This viscoelasticity is an important mechanical defence mechanism and therefore should be taken into account in the cleaning test.
Our hydrogel is inspired on these biofilms and shows similar viscoelastic behaviour. The hydrogel can therefore be used as standardised contamination when realistic mechanical behaviour is required, without the need for (and problems involving) growing real biofilms.
Properties:
- Viscoelastic.
- Solid gel at temperatures below 26.5oC; liquid at higher temperatures.
- Optical, real-time analysis possible using the hydrogel’s colour and embedded tracer particles.
- Chemical reactions (e.g. with NaOCl) possible.
The mechanical properties of our standard formulation are available here.
Other formulations (mechanical properties, colour) are possible!
Would you like to find out more about our hydrogel? Contact us at: info@bubclean.nl.
Please note that the hydrogel is currently only intended for research/development purposes.
