Modeling of inactivation of biofilm composing bacteria with low intensity electric field: Prediction of lowest intensity and mechanism

Sterilization using high-intensity electric fields is detrimental to health if safety is inadequate, so it is necessary to study the possibility of sterilization using low-intensity electric fields. This study aims to determine the lowest electric field intensity and treatment time to deactivate the bacteria that make up the biofilms and explain the mechanism of inactivation. The study samples were biofilms from the bacteria Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Staphylococcus epidermidis grown on the catheter. The modeling formula was developed from the Pockels effect and the Weibull distribution with the treatment using a square pulse-shaped electric field with a pulse width of 50 µs and an intensity of 2.0-4.0 kV/ cm. The results showed that the threshold for irreversible electroporation of both samples occurred in the treatment using an electric field with an intensity of 3.5 kV/cm and 3.75 kV/ cm, respectively, where the size and type of Gram of bacteria influenced. Moreover, the time of the treatment had an effect when irreversible electroporation occurred. However, when there was reversible electroporation, the effect of treatment time on the reduction in the number of bacteria was not significant. Also, changes in conductivity affected the reduction in the number of bacteria when reversible electroporation occurred.