Purpose: Develop novel biomimetic material that could replicate surface chemical and structural information from natural plant tissue to facilitate research studies on bacteria-substratum interactions and development of effective pathogen inactivation technologies.
Methods: In this study, we developed a two-step replica molding method for rapid fabrication of polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) and agarose (AGAR)-based biomimetic surfaces, using spinach leaf as a model. The potential application of those biomimetic surfaces for food safety research was further evaluated.
Results: Both polymers successfully mimicked the leaf surface microstructure, while each possesses unique chemical, physical, and biological features. PDMS biomimetic surfaces provide structural durability for scanning electron microscopy examination, comparable surface wettability for coating development, and real-time monitoring capability by incorporation into a micro-fluidic device. AGAR biomimetic surfaces are suitable for bacterial growth, recovery, and quantification studies. AGAR biomimetic surfaces demonstrate great capacity for investigating the effect of surface topography on the survival and inactivation of Escherichia coli cells during biocide treatment.
Significance: Overall, this technology facilitates reproducibility of experiments involving disinfection and attachment/release of microbes from plant surfaces, but without any of the leaf-to-leaf or plant-to-plant variability that confounds experiments with real produce.