Chlorination of quorum sensing molecules: Kinetics and transformation pathways.

The impact of chlorination on quorum sensing molecules (QSMs) is not often addressed in disinfection research. Yet pathogenicity and biofilm formation are controlled by quorum sensing (QS) in many bacteria. Chemical transformation of the compounds could have an impact on all of these processes.

Development of an analytical method to quantify N-acyl-homoserine lactones in bacterial cultures, river water, and treated wastewater.

N-Acyl-homoserine lactones (AHL) play a major role in the communication of Gram-negative bacteria. They influence processes such as biofilm formation, swarming motility, and bioluminescence in the aquatic environment. A comprehensive analytical method was developed to elucidate the "chemical communication" in pure bacterial cultures as well as in the aquatic environment and engineered environments with biofilms.

Bromination of Quorum Sensing Molecules: Vanadium Bromoperoxidase and Cerium Dioxide Nanocrystals via Free Active Bromine Transform Bacterial Communication.

The halogenation of quorum sensing molecules (QSMs) is known to be catalyzed by enzymes such as haloperoxidase (HPO) as well as cerium dioxide nanocrystals (NC), which mimic enzymes. Those enzymes and mimics can influence biological processes such as biofilm formation, where bacteria use QSMs for the "chemical" communication between each other and the coordination of surface colonization. However, not much is known about the degradation behavior of a broad spectrum of QSMs, especially for HPO and its mimics.

Communication Breakdown: Into the Molecular Mechanism of Biofilm Inhibition by CeO Nanocrystal Enzyme Mimics and How It Can Be Exploited.

Bacterial biofilm formation is a huge problem in industry and medicine. Therefore, the discovery of anti-biofilm agents may hold great promise. Biofilm formation is usually a consequence of bacterial cell-cell communication, a process called quorum sensing (QS).

UV aged epoxy coatings - Ecotoxicological effects and released compounds.

Organic coatings can guarantee long-term protection of steel structures due to causing a physical barrier against water and oxygen. Because of their mechanical properties and resistances to heat and chemicals, epoxy resin-based coatings are widely used for corrosion protection. Despite of the aromatic backbone and the resulting susceptibility to UV degradation, epoxy resins are frequently used as binding agent in top layers of anti-corrosion coating systems.