Wooden boards affecting the survival of bacteria?

Abstract

The survival of bacteria on an in different wooden and plastic boards was examined by microbiological methods. Wood of different tree species and polyethylene were inoculated with Escherichia coli pIE639 and Enteroccus faecium as hygienically relevant test bacteria. The development of the bacterial titer was evaluated by culturing on agar contact plates and investigating wood shavings. Survival of the test bacteria depended on different factors such as tree species, the initial inoculum size and the characteristics of the inoculated strain. The bacterial titer decreased fastest on pine compared to other woods (spruce, beech, poplar) and plastic. After bacterial infestation only pine wood was germ-free at the surface and in the inner structure after a few hours. The survival of the bacteria on poplar and beech was comparable to their survival on plastic. The study indicated that an antibacterial effect of wood, especially for pine, is caused by the hygroscopic properties of wood and the wood extractives. The antibacterial effect of pine wood was not influenced by the storage time of the wood following harvest or the functional condition of the wood up to a germ load of 108 CFU/cm2 E. coli pIE639.