The increasing bacterial adhesion to surfaces and formation of biofilms has become a major problem in both agriculture and medical related industries. Current solutions to these problems are limited in that they can only delay the initial onset of infection, have a short term sterilization effect or completely prevent biofilm formation. Therefore, researchers at Stellenbosch University discovered a green antibiotic with high stability, biodegradable properties and have limited potential to induce resistance.
This innovation aims at solving several technical problems that various industries face with surface microbial contaminations which leads to infections and product loss and/or biofilm formation. For example, in agriculture, current biocides impregnated solid surfaces have limited activity or cause damage, dangerous infections such as Listeria and product loss during preparation, shipping and storage. In medicine, the innovation would be advantageous where surface contamination and/or biofilm formation causes infection in patients, for example in catheters. Generally this innovation can be used to protect different surfaces in public areas and different filter systems.
It is a natural green and biodegradable antibiotic that has the potential to combat plant pathogens without damage to products during export, shipping and storage. It also has the potential to prevent biofilm formation, for example in catheters and filtration systems where other methods are unable to do so.
Agriculture.
Industrial.
Medical.
Public
It is a natural green and biodegradable antibiotic that has the potential to combat plant pathogens without damage to products during export, shipping and storage. It also has the potential to prevent biofilm formation, for example in catheters and filtration systems where other methods are unable to do so.
Prof M. Rautenbach, Department of Biochemistry, Stellenbosch University.
Miss W. van Rensburg, Department of Biochemistry, Stellenbosch University