New research into a microrobot powered by urea for E. coli biofilm eradication

Urinary tract infections are one of the most common conditions caused by bacteria. It affects approximately 150 million people each year worldwide. Such types of infections are mainly associated with the presence of Escherichia coli, which initiates the infection from the periurethral region to the urethra and eventually colonizes the bladder. Once there, bacteria can adhere to the walls, leading to biofilm formation. This can occur not only in the bladder, but also in indwelling catheters.

In recent years, several approaches have been developed for inactivating bacterial biofilms, including liposomes and polymer-based drug delivery vehicles and application of external fields such as ultrasound, electrical and light. Recently, these strategies have been combined with self-driving micro/nano robots that convert energy from the environment into mechanical energy. Due to their active motion, these devices can increase biofilm permeability, leading to a higher dispersibility of antimicrobials compared to passive particles.

Researchers at the University of Chemistry and Technology have fabricated nanostructured microrobots made up of bundles of nanotubes. These microrobots exhibit a crystalline structure and absorption of visible light. The immobilization of urease on their structure gave them an additional catalytic ability to effect their autonomous movement in the presence of urea. These hybrid microrobots were able to efficiently disrupt the E. coli biofilm after 2 hours of visible light irradiation.

“Overall, our work demonstrates the potential of combining enzyme/photocatalytic components within the same microrobotic structure for the efficient removal of a bacterial biofilm,” said lead researcher Professor Pumera.

The research was published in Small†