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Introduction to Antibacterial Surfaces

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Antibacterial Surfaces

Abstract

Colonisation of surfaces by bacteria occurs commonly in the environment. When this colonisation occurs on materials that are used in modern civilization, it is most often a detrimental process. This can range from bacteria being responsible for the infection of medical implants or tissues causing infection to humans or animals, to biological layers being built-up on ships or in air-conditioning systems causing increased drag and fuel costs. In each case, the result is undesirable, and therefore it is highly desirable to identify ways by which the growth of bacteria on surfaces can be eliminated or controlled. This can be achieved through preventing the initial adhesion of cells, and/or by killing any cells that are able to attach to the surface. In this chapter, a brief overview is provided regarding some of the issues associated with the attachment of bacteria to surfaces, together with a description of the main strategies currently being employed for controlling the initial attachment processes. These strategies will be expanded upon in the subsequent chapters.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. School of Science, Faculty of Science, Engineering and Technology, Swinburne University of Technology, 218, Hawthorn, 3122, Victoria, Australia

    Hayden K. Webb, Russell J. Crawford & Elena P. Ivanova

Authors
  1. Hayden K. Webb
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  2. Russell J. Crawford
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  3. Elena P. Ivanova
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Elena P. Ivanova .

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Editors and Affiliations

  1. School of Science, Faculty of Science, Engineering and Technology, Swinburne University of Technology, Hawthorn, Australia

    Elena Ivanova

  2. School of Science, Faculty of Science, Engineering and Technology, Swinburne University of Technology, Hawthorne, Australia

    Russell Crawford

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Webb, H.K., Crawford, R.J., Ivanova, E.P. (2015). Introduction to Antibacterial Surfaces. In: Ivanova, E., Crawford, R. (eds) Antibacterial Surfaces. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-18594-1_1

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