Bacterial biofilm colonies attached to orthopedic implants, and surrounding tissues resist to antibiotic treatments, prolong hospitalization, increase mortality, and usually require the removal and replacement of the entire joint. Through acoustic cavitation, it could be possible to remove the biofilm colonies from the infected surface, thus reducing healing time and even eliminating the need to remove and replace the implant.
In this thesis, biofilm formation was first induced in standard 96-well round –bottom microplates. These microplates were then exposed to ultrasonic cavitation and pulsed lavage for the same period, and the cleaning effectiveness of two methods were assessed. The results showed that an ultrasonic transducer can be effective in removing biofilm from the surface.
Consequently, a new device that uses the combined effects of acoustic cavitation and lavage to disrupt bilfilms was developed. This device consists of a ring-shaped sonicator inserted into the cone of a pulsed lavage apparatus. A function generator connected to an amplifier drives the sonicator.
Finally, two different methods (pulsed lavage and the combination of sonicator and pulsed lavage) were used to clean the biofilm. The remaining bacterial biofilm was then removed by using a bath sonicator, and streaked onto TSB/agar Petri dishes to assess cleaning effectiveness. The results demonstrated that acoustic cavitation in conjunction with lavage effectively can remove E.coli biofilm adhered on surfaces better than pulsed lavage alone without visibly damaging these surfaces.
","abstract_html":"<p>Bacterial biofilm colonies attached to orthopedic implants, and surrounding tissues resist to antibiotic treatments, prolong hospitalization, increase mortality, and usually require the removal and replacement of the entire joint. Through acoustic cavitation, it could be possible to remove the biofilm colonies from the infected surface, thus reducing healing time and even eliminating the need to remove and replace the implant. </p><p>In this thesis, biofilm formation was first induced in standard 96-well round –bottom microplates. These microplates were then exposed to ultrasonic cavitation and pulsed lavage for the same period, and the cleaning effectiveness of two methods were assessed. The results showed that an ultrasonic transducer can be effective in removing biofilm from the surface.</p><p>Consequently, a new device that uses the combined effects of acoustic cavitation and lavage to disrupt bilfilms was developed. This device consists of a ring-shaped sonicator inserted into the cone of a pulsed lavage apparatus. A function generator connected to an amplifier drives the sonicator.</p><p>Finally, two different methods (pulsed lavage and the combination of sonicator and pulsed lavage) were used to clean the biofilm. The remaining bacterial biofilm was then removed by using a bath sonicator, and streaked onto TSB/agar Petri dishes to assess cleaning effectiveness. The results demonstrated that acoustic cavitation in conjunction with lavage effectively can remove E.coli biofilm adhered on surfaces better than pulsed lavage alone without visibly damaging these surfaces.</p>","abstract_has_math":false,"creators":["Zhang, Siyuan"],"institution":"University of Toledo","degree_name":"Master of Science in Engineering","degree_level":"masters","degree_discipline":"Mechanical Engineering","degree_department":null,"school":null,"contributors":["Cioc, Sorin"],"advisors":[],"committee_chairs":[],"committee_members":[],"year":2013,"date_issued":"2013-05-31","date_published":"2013-05-31","updated_at":"2026-07-24T03:36:23Z","subjects":["Acoustics","Biology","Engineering","Health Sciences","sonication","pulsed lavage","biofilm","cavitation"],"languages":["English"],"rights":["unrestricted","This thesis or dissertation is protected by copyright: all rights reserved. It may not be copied or redistributed beyond the terms of applicable copyright laws."],"rights_urls":[],"identifier_entries":[]},"links":{"outbound_url":"http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=toledo1356194652","outbound_label":"Repository record","outbound_source":"dc:identifier"},"metadata_groups":[{"id":"people","label":"People","entries":[{"key":"dc:contributor","label":"Contributor","values":["Cioc, Sorin"]},{"key":"dc:creator","label":"Author","values":["Zhang, Siyuan"]}]},{"id":"academic_context","label":"Academic Context","entries":[{"key":"dc:date","label":"Dc Date","values":["2013-05-31"]},{"key":"dc:publisher","label":"Institution","values":["University of Toledo / OhioLINK"]},{"key":"dc:type","label":"Dc Type","values":["Electronic Thesis or Dissertation"]},{"key":"thesis:degree_discipline","label":"Discipline","values":["Mechanical Engineering"]},{"key":"thesis:degree_level","label":"Degree Level","values":["masters"]},{"key":"thesis:degree_name","label":"Degree Name","values":["Master of Science in Engineering"]},{"key":"thesis:institution_name","label":"Thesis Institution Name","values":["University of Toledo"]}]},{"id":"subjects_keywords","label":"Subjects and Keywords","entries":[{"key":"dc:subject","label":"Dc Subject","values":["Acoustics","Biology","Engineering","Health Sciences","sonication","pulsed lavage","biofilm","cavitation"]}]},{"id":"language_rights","label":"Language and Rights","entries":[{"key":"dc:language","label":"Dc Language","values":["English"]},{"key":"dc:rights","label":"Dc Rights","values":["unrestricted","This thesis or dissertation is protected by copyright: all rights reserved. It may not be copied or redistributed beyond the terms of applicable copyright laws."]}]},{"id":"identifiers","label":"Identifiers","entries":[{"key":"dc:identifier","label":"Identifier","values":["http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=toledo1356194652"]}]},{"id":"additional","label":"Additional Metadata","entries":[{"key":"dc:description","label":"Description","values":["Bacterial biofilm colonies attached to orthopedic implants, and surrounding tissues resist to antibiotic treatments, prolong hospitalization, increase mortality, and usually require the removal and replacement of the entire joint. Through acoustic cavitation, it could be possible to remove the biofilm colonies from the infected surface, thus reducing healing time and even eliminating the need to remove and replace the implant.
In this thesis, biofilm formation was first induced in standard 96-well round –bottom microplates. These microplates were then exposed to ultrasonic cavitation and pulsed lavage for the same period, and the cleaning effectiveness of two methods were assessed. The results showed that an ultrasonic transducer can be effective in removing biofilm from the surface.
Consequently, a new device that uses the combined effects of acoustic cavitation and lavage to disrupt bilfilms was developed. This device consists of a ring-shaped sonicator inserted into the cone of a pulsed lavage apparatus. A function generator connected to an amplifier drives the sonicator.
Finally, two different methods (pulsed lavage and the combination of sonicator and pulsed lavage) were used to clean the biofilm. The remaining bacterial biofilm was then removed by using a bath sonicator, and streaked onto TSB/agar Petri dishes to assess cleaning effectiveness. The results demonstrated that acoustic cavitation in conjunction with lavage effectively can remove E.coli biofilm adhered on surfaces better than pulsed lavage alone without visibly damaging these surfaces.
"]},{"key":"dc:format","label":"Dc Format","values":["application/pdf","p.71","2.96 MB"]},{"key":"dc:title","label":"Title","values":["Biofilm Removal with Acoustic Cavitation and Lavage"]}]}],"canonical_facts":{"dc:contributor":["Cioc, Sorin"],"dc:creator":["Zhang, Siyuan"],"dc:date":["2013-05-31"],"dc:description":["Bacterial biofilm colonies attached to orthopedic implants, and surrounding tissues resist to antibiotic treatments, prolong hospitalization, increase mortality, and usually require the removal and replacement of the entire joint. Through acoustic cavitation, it could be possible to remove the biofilm colonies from the infected surface, thus reducing healing time and even eliminating the need to remove and replace the implant.
In this thesis, biofilm formation was first induced in standard 96-well round –bottom microplates. These microplates were then exposed to ultrasonic cavitation and pulsed lavage for the same period, and the cleaning effectiveness of two methods were assessed. The results showed that an ultrasonic transducer can be effective in removing biofilm from the surface.
Consequently, a new device that uses the combined effects of acoustic cavitation and lavage to disrupt bilfilms was developed. This device consists of a ring-shaped sonicator inserted into the cone of a pulsed lavage apparatus. A function generator connected to an amplifier drives the sonicator.
Finally, two different methods (pulsed lavage and the combination of sonicator and pulsed lavage) were used to clean the biofilm. The remaining bacterial biofilm was then removed by using a bath sonicator, and streaked onto TSB/agar Petri dishes to assess cleaning effectiveness. The results demonstrated that acoustic cavitation in conjunction with lavage effectively can remove E.coli biofilm adhered on surfaces better than pulsed lavage alone without visibly damaging these surfaces.
"],"dc:format":["application/pdf","p.71","2.96 MB"],"dc:identifier":["http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=toledo1356194652"],"dc:language":["English"],"dc:publisher":["University of Toledo / OhioLINK"],"dc:rights":["unrestricted","This thesis or dissertation is protected by copyright: all rights reserved. It may not be copied or redistributed beyond the terms of applicable copyright laws."],"dc:subject":["Acoustics","Biology","Engineering","Health Sciences","sonication","pulsed lavage","biofilm","cavitation"],"dc:title":["Biofilm Removal with Acoustic Cavitation and Lavage"],"dc:type":["Electronic Thesis or Dissertation"],"thesis:degree_discipline":["Mechanical Engineering"],"thesis:degree_level":["masters"],"thesis:degree_name":["Master of Science in Engineering"],"thesis:institution_name":["University of Toledo"]},"updated_at":"2026-07-24T03:36:23Z"}