Adhesion behaviors of Escherichia coli on hydroxyapatite.

Optimum design of support materials for microorganisms is required for the construction of bioreactors. However, the effects of support materials on microorganisms are still unclear. In this study, we investigated the adhesion behavior of Escherichia coli (E. coli) on hydroxyapatite (HA), polyurethane (PU), poly(vinyl chloride) (PVC), and carbon (Carbon) to obtain basic knowledge for the design of support materials. The total metabolic activity and number of E. coli adhering on the samples followed the order of HA ≈ Carbon>PVC>PU. On the other hand, the water contact angle of the pellet surfaces followed the order of HA