Association of micro-organisms with the inner surfaces of bottles of non-carbonated mineral waters

Three brands of non-carbonated mineral water were tested using rinsing tech niques and electron microscopy for attachment of bacteria to the inner surf ace of the bottle. Rinse solutions used were distilled water (DW) DW + 0.1% Tween 80, DW + 0.1% salt, DW + 0.1%SDS. The microbial population attached to the inner surface of the bottles varied between 5-44% depending upon the brand and the batch of water examined. Most of the attached bacteria (80-9 0%) were removed during the first two rinses. Species (Burkholderia cepacia , Methylobacterium mesophilicum, Acidovorax delafieldii, Brevundimonas vesi cularis, Xanthomonas campestris) attached to the bottle surface were found to be the same as those in the mineral water. Measurement of the cell surfa ce hydrophobicity of these species failed to prove this as the only factor for attachment to bottle surfaces. Scanning electron micrographs of inner s urfaces of bottles showed bacterial attachment of densities of 10(7) cells cm(-2), with evidence of microcolony but no visible biofilm formation. (C) 1999 Academic Press.