Bacterial Biofilm Formation on Nano-Copper Added PLA Suited for 3D Printed Face Masks

The COVID-19 Pandemic leads to an increased worldwide demand for personal protection equipment in the medical field, such as face masks. New approaches to satisfy this demand have been developed, and one example is the use of 3D printing face masks. The reusable 3D printed mask may also have a positive effect on the environment due to decreased littering. However, the microbial load on the 3D printed objects is often disregarded. Here we analyze the biofilm formation of Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Staphylococcus aureus, and Escherichia coli on suspected antimicrobial Plactive (TM) PLA 3D printing filaments and non-antimicrobial Giantarm (TM) PLA. To characterize the biofilm-forming potential scanning electron microscopy (SEM), Confocal scanning electron microscopy (CLSM) and colony-forming unit assays (CFU) were performed. Attached cells could be observed on all tested 3D printing materials. Gram-negative strains P. aeruginosa and E. coli reveal a strong uniform growth independent of the tested 3D filament (for P. aeruginosa even with stressed induced growth reaction by Plactive (TM)). Only Gram-positive S. aureus shows strong growth reduction on Plactive (TM). These results suggest that the postulated antimicrobial Plactive (TM) PLA does not affect Gram-negative bacteria species. These results indicate that reusable masks, while better for our environment, may pose another health risk.

Automated summary

The COVID-19 pandemic has led to an increased demand for personal protection equipment, including face masks, in the medical field. One innovative approach to address this demand is the use of 3D printed masks. However, the potential microbial load on these 3D printed masks has often been overlooked. In this study, the biofilm formation of different bacteria species on antimicrobial and non-antimicrobial 3D printing filaments was analyzed. The results suggest that the antimicrobial PLA used in the 3D printing filaments does not significantly affect Gram-negative bacteria, indicating that reusable masks may pose a health risk.