Evaluation of Hydrophobic-hydrophilic Properties and Anti-adhesive Potential of the Treated Cedar Wood by Two Essential Oil Components Against Bioadhesion of Penicillium expansum Spores

Abstract

Objective: The important role of the physicochemical parameters in the phenomenon of microorganisms adhesion on materials is very well established in the scientific literature. The objectives of this study were to investigate the treatment impact of two compounds on the physicochemical surface properties of cedar wood and their anti-adhesive effects against the of Penicillium expansum spores. Methodology: The physicochemical characterization, in term of hydrophobicity/hydrophilicity and electron acceptor/donor properties of the cedar samples, before and after treatment for 15 min by 1.8-cineol and -ionone, was carried out by the contact angle measurements throughout the sessile drop technique. The anti-adhesive potential of these essential oil components, vis-a-vis of P. expansum spores on the cedar surface, was also evaluated, after 10 h of contact, with the Environmental Scanning Electron Microscopy (ESEM) and by using MATLAB software program. Results: The obtained results revealed that the impact of the treatments on the cedar surface were very indicative. In fact, the initially hydrophobic character of the cedar surface (2w = 890.12E; )Giwi = -67.93 mJ mG2) was significantly decreased on the samples treated with -ionone (2w = 46.50.4E; )Giwi = -7.52 mJ mG2). The treatment with 1.8-cineol made the cedar surface qualitatively and quantitatively hydrophilic (2w = 39.90.6E; )Giwi = 8.35 mJ mG2). Furthermore, the ESEM images analyzed by the MATLAB software program showed a very important reduction of spores adhesion rates on the treated surface of cedar wood with $-ionone (21.84%) and 1.8-cineol (9.34%). Conclusion: It therefore, appears very clearly in this study that the physicochemical properties of cedar wood were significantly influenced by both treatments and their anti-adhesive potential against Penicillium expansum spores was demonstrated.