• Journal of dental hygiene science
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• v.15 no.5
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• pp.659-665
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• 2015

A wide variety of methods have been used to control Dental Unit Waterline (DUWL) contamination. Among the methods, flushing is mainly used because it is simple and easy to use. Generally, flushing of DUWL for 20 or 30 sec before using high speed handpieces or scalers is recommended. However, the appropriateness of flushing time was not investigated thoroughly. The purpose of this study was to check the effective time of flushing for decreasing bacterial contamination. Seven dental unit chairs were randomly selected in student clinical simulation laboratory for this experiment. DUWLs were continuously flushed and water samples were collected at an interval of 30 seconds for 15 minutes. From five dental unit chairs, water samples were collected every 10 seconds for 1 minute. Bacterial levels in water samples were examined by the culture method on R2A plates. After 10 second flushing of DUWLs, the number of bacteria significantly reduced and decreased continuously up to 40 seconds. However, even after the water was flushed for 15 minutes, the bacterial contamination level was not reduced below recommended bacteria level, 200 CFU/ml. In addition to flushing, the periodic chemical disinfection is required to control the DUWL water to the recommended level.

• Journal of Korean Society of Environmental Engineers
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• v.31 no.1
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• pp.51-57
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• 2009

Biofouling in seawater reverse osmosis (SWRO) desalination process causes many problems such as flux decline, biodegradation of membrane, increased cleaning time, and increased energy consumption and operational cost. Therefore biofouling is considered as the most critical problem in system operation. To control biofouling in early stage, detection of the most problematic bacteria causing biofouling is required. In this study, six model bacteria were chosen; Bacillus sp., Flavobacterium sp., Mycobacterium sp., Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Pseudomonas fluorescens, and Rhodobacter sp. based on report in the literature and phylogenetic analysis of seawater intake and fouled RO membrane. The adhesion to RO membrane, the high pressure resistance, and the hydrophobicity of the six model bacteria were examined to find out their fouling potential. Rhodobacter sp. and Mycobacterium sp. were found to attach very well to RO membrane surface compared to others used in this study. The test of hydrophobicity revealed that the bacteria which have high hydrophobicity or similar contact angle with RO membrane ($63^{\circ}$ of contact angle) easily attached to RO membrane surface. P. aeruginosa which is highly hydrophilic ($23.07^{\circ}$ of contact angle) showed the least adhesion characteristic among six model bacteria. After applying a pressure of 800 psi to the sample, Rhodobacter sp. was found to show the highest reduction rate; with 59-73% of the cells removed from the membrane under pressure. P. fluorescens on the other hand analyzed as the most pressure resistant bacteria among six model bacteria. The difference between reduction rates using direct counting and plate counting indicates that the viability of each model bacteria was affected significantly from the high pressure. Most cells subjected to high pressure were unable to form colonies even thought they maintained their structural integrity.

• Journal of Dental Rehabilitation and Applied Science
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• v.40 no.2
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• pp.55-63
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• 2024

Purpose: This study aimed to assess the antimicrobial efficacy of an 810-nm infrared diode laser with indocyanine green (ICG) against Staphylococcus aureus on sandblasted, large grit, and acid-etched (SLA) titanium surfaces, comparing its effectiveness with alternative chemical decontamination modalities. Materials and Methods: Biofilms of S. aureus ATCC 25923 were cultured on SLA titanium disks for 48 hours. The biofilms were divided into five treatment groups: control, chlorhexidine gluconate (CHX), tetracycline (TC), ICG, and 810-nm infrared diode laser with ICG (ICG-PDT). After treatment, colony-forming units were quantified to assess surviving bacteria, and viability was confirmed through confocal laser-scanning microscope (CLSM) imaging. Results: All treated groups exhibited a statistically significant reduction in S. aureus (P < 0.05), with notable efficacy in the CHX, TC, and ICG-PDT groups (P < 0.01). While no statistical difference was observed between TC and CHX, the ICG-PDT group demonstrated superior bacterial reduction. CLSM images revealed a higher proportion of dead bacteria stained in red within the ICG-PDT groups. Conclusion: Within the limitations, ICG-PDT effectively reduced S. aureus biofilms on SLA titanium surfaces. Further investigations into alternative decontamination methods and the clinical impact of ICG-PDT on peri-implant diseases are warranted.