Reduction ofEscherichia coliadhesion to AISI 316L stainless steel surface by using mechanical and electrochemical polishing processes

Journal article

Authors/Editors

Strategic Research Themes

Publication Details

Author list: Chotchutiphong T, Tangwarodomnukun V

Publisher: Taylor and Francis Group

Publication year: 2021

Journal: The Journal of Adhesion (0021-8464)

Volume number: 97

Issue number: 15

Start page: 1440

End page: 1455

Number of pages: 16

ISSN: 0021-8464

eISSN: 1545-5823

URL: https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/00218464.2020.1785295

Languages: English-Great Britain (EN-GB)

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Abstract

This paper presents the role of surface roughness on the bacterial adhesion to the food-grade AISI 316L stainless steel surface, which was prepared by the mechanical and electrochemical polishing processes.Escherichia coliorE. coliwas the bacteria tested in this study as it is a sanitization indicator in the food and pharmaceutical industries. The average surface roughness (R-a), peak-to-valley roughness (R-y), and five-point average roughness (R-z) of the polished surface were measured, and the results demonstrated that the amount ofE. coliwas found to increase with the increased surface roughness. As per the electrochemical polishing process, the effects of applied voltage, electrolyte concentration, and polishing time on the three roughness parameters were examined. Besides theR(a), the influence ofR(y)andR(z)on the bacterial adhesion was found to be very significant. By using the electrochemical process with a suitable polishing condition, theR(y)andR(z)were substantially reduced compared to the mechanically polished surface with the similar level ofR(a). The amount of bacteria on the electrochemically polished surface was also lower than the mechanical one by 25% on average.

Keywords

electrochemical polishing, Escherichia coli, Stainless steel, Surface roughness