Abstract

ouling is unavoidable is any system and is capable of easily clogging in all Microfluidic devices viz, Lab-on-a-Chip Devices (LOC) and Point of Care Systems (POC) and could not operate with the same efficiency. The different implants in humans such as catheters, stents or nasolaryngeal tubes need to be replaced due to infection that causes inflammation and pain[1]. In reality, cells adhere and develop as biofilms by adapting themselves to in vivo and in vitro environments [2]. There is also an increased usage of microfluidic devices in the biomedical field for research studies, for testing and treatment. Microchannels are particularly suitable for wall shear stress dependent experiments as they can operate in a wide range of conditions. Bjarnsholt [3] has explained the biofilm formation with the paradigm ‘united we stand – divided we fall’ in a simplistic way making it clear that when the cells are alone in a site, they would not flourish as a biofilm due to many external agents, but if they form a community and stand united in a single place as a biofilm, it is difficult for the external agents to eliminate all the cells. Thus to efficiently control biofilm development, it is often more effective to attack the biofilm at its early stages of development, as cells are more likely to be susceptible to the antibiotic effect. This concept is used in this work. In this work two antibiotics, ampicillin and ciprofloxacin, were dissolved in citrate buffer and used as cleaning agents.