Thesis
Corona discharge-mediated immobilisation of bacteriophages onto polymeric surfaces for the production of anti-bacterial surfaces
- Creator
- Rights statement
- Awarding institution
- University of Strathclyde
- Date of award
- 2024
- Thesis identifier
- T17103
- Person Identifier (Local)
- 201865828
- Qualification Level
- Qualification Name
- Department, School or Faculty
- Abstract
- The prevalence of antibiotic-resistant bacteria is a global issue with far-reaching implications across various sectors. As alternative strategies to solve problems associated with these microbes are investigated, attention is increasingly turned towards bacteriophages, which can target specific strains of interest and self-amplify because of their virus-like lifecycle. Bacteriophages were originally used to treat bacterial pathogen-borne illnesses. Their scope of application has broadened considerably, and they are now actively being researched for their use across a range of industries. In many cases, phages are incorporated in some form of solid or semisolid-based bioactive product. Several approaches for this have been researched in depth. The work summarised in this thesis focuses on bacteriophage immobilisation, which can be defined as the irreversible fixation of viable phages onto solid surfaces. Here, it is achieved through a novel application of corona discharge as a mediator for linker-free, permanent phage binding onto polymeric surfaces. Following the development and verification of a method for quantifying immobilised phages, the work summarised focuses on demonstrating the efficacy of corona discharge for phage immobilisation onto polymeric surfaces. Additionally, there is an emphasis on improving the post-immobilisation survival and distribution of bacteriophages on the surface in producing solid, dry final products. The thesis concludes with a trial conducted to assess the efficacy of food packaging containing immobilised phages in increasing the shelf-life of cut salad. For most phages considered, corona discharge increased irreversible binding 10-fold, whilst lecithin, sucrose and lutensol emerged as useful substances in the context of drying stability, shelf-life, and surface distribution, respectively. Bacteriophage-incorporated packaging significantly increased the shelf-life of cut salad by almost one full day. It is concluded that corona discharge can be utilised in conjunction with formulated phage to produce antimicrobial products with demonstratable real-world applications.
- Advisor / supervisor
- Perrie, Yvonne
- Resource Type
- Note
- Previously held under moratorium from 25 September 2024 until 25 September 2026.
- DOI
Relations
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PDF of thesis T17103 | 2024-11-07 | Public | Download |