Physicochemical Approaches to Medically Relevant Biofilms: Detection, Characterization, Prevention, Disruption, and Magnetic-Field-Based Strategies.
11 affiliations
- 1Doctoral School, "Victor Babeș" University of Medicine and Pharmacy, Eftimie Murgu Square No. 2, 300041 Timișoara, Romania.
- 2Department of Food Science, Faculty of Food Engineering, University of Life Sciences "King Mihai I" from Timișoara, Calea Aradului 119, 300645 Timișoara, Romania.
- 3Department of Health and Human Motricity, Faculty of Medical and Behavioral Sciences, "Constantin Brâncuși" University, Tineretului Street No. 4, 210185 Târgu Jiu, Romania.
- 4Department of Family Medicine, Centre for Preventive Medicine, "Victor Babeș" University of Medicine and Pharmacy, Eftimie Murgu Square No. 2, 300041 Timișoara, Romania.
- 5Department of Internal Medicine I, Discipline of Medical Semiology I, Centre for Preventive Medicine, "Victor Babeș" University of Medicine and Pharmacy, Eftimie Murgu Square No. 2, 300041 Timișoara, Romania.
- 6Multidisciplinary Research Center on Antimicrobial Resistance (MULTI-REZ), "Victor Babeș" University of Medicine and Pharmacy, Eftimie Murgu Square No. 2, 300041 Timișoara, Romania.
- 7Microbiology Laboratory, "Pius Brînzeu" County Clinical Emergency Hospital, 300723 Timișoara, Romania.
- 8Microbiology Department, "Victor Babeș" University of Medicine and Pharmacy, Eftimie Murgu Square No. 2, 300041 Timișoara, Romania.
- 9Department of Applied Chemistry, Organic and Natural Compounds Engineering (CAICON), Faculty of Chemical Engineering, Biotechnologies and Environmental Protection, Politehnica University Timișoara, Vasile Pârvan Blvd. No. 6, 300223 Timișoara, Romania.
- 10Immuno-Physiology and Biotechnologies Center, Department of Functional Sciences, "Victor Babeș" University of Medicine and Pharmacy, Eftimie Murgu Square No. 2, 300041 Timișoara, Romania.
- 11Center for Gene and Cellular Therapies in the Treatment of Cancer-OncoGen, "Pius Brînzeu" County Clinical Emergency Hospital, 156 Liviu Rebreanu Blvd., 300723 Timișoara, Romania.
Abstract
Background: Medically relevant biofilms are difficult to detect, characterize, and eradicate because their behavior depends on microbial species, biofilm maturity, extracellular matrix, surface properties, and environmental conditions. Physicochemical approaches provide complementary strategies for monitoring biofilm development and for preventing or disrupting established communities. This structured narrative review examines electrical and electrochemical methods, ultrasound, light-based and photodynamic treatments, plasma and thermal approaches, nanomaterials and photocatalysis, surface modification, and physicochemical detection methods, with particular emphasis on magnetic-field-based strategies. Contemporary primary studies published from January 2025 to July 2026 were considered together with selected earlier studies providing methodological or comparative context. Findings: Physicochemical approaches produced substantial effects across bacterial and fungal biofilm models, but outcomes were strongly dependent on experimental conditions and assessment methods. Cultivability, biomass, metabolic activity, adhesion, detachment, architecture, and physicochemical signals represent distinct aspects of biofilm behavior and should not be interpreted interchangeably. Real-time monitoring methods provide valuable temporal information but require validation against biological endpoints. Magnetic approaches particularly illustrate this methodological heterogeneity. Direct magnetic-field exposure produced variable and incompletely standardized responses, whereas magnetothermal, magnetomechanical, and magnetically guided systems generally showed more consistently quantified antibiofilm effects. Further progress requires standardized physicochemical characterization, appropriate mechanistic controls, clinically representative models, and complementary assessment of biofilm viability, biomass, structure, and regrowth.
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BibTeX
@article{druga2026physicochemical,
title = {{Physicochemical Approaches to Medically Relevant Biofilms: Detection, Characterization, Prevention, Disruption, and Magnetic-Field-Based Strategies.}},
author = {Victor Andrei Drugă and Mărioara Drugă and Maria Șorop-Florea and Răzvan Mihai Șușan and Monica Maria Șușan and Petrinela Ceachir and Monica Sorina Licker and Valentin Laurențiu Ordodi},
journal = {Antibiotics (Basel, Switzerland)},
year = {2026},
month = sep,
doi = {10.3390/antibiotics15100965},
url = {https://europepmc.org/article/MED/42938705},
note = {CC BY},
}
RIS
TY - JOUR
TI - Physicochemical Approaches to Medically Relevant Biofilms: Detection, Characterization, Prevention, Disruption, and Magnetic-Field-Based Strategies.
AU - Victor Andrei Drugă
AU - Mărioara Drugă
AU - Maria Șorop-Florea
AU - Răzvan Mihai Șușan
AU - Monica Maria Șușan
AU - Petrinela Ceachir
AU - Monica Sorina Licker
AU - Valentin Laurențiu Ordodi
PY - 2026
DA - 2026/09/30
JO - Antibiotics (Basel, Switzerland)
DO - 10.3390/antibiotics15100965
UR - https://europepmc.org/article/MED/42938705
AB - Background: Medically relevant biofilms are difficult to detect, characterize, and eradicate because their behavior depends on microbial species, biofilm maturity, extracellular matrix, surface properties, and environmental conditions. Physicochemical approaches provide complementary strategies for monitoring biofilm development and for preventing or disrupting established communities. This structured narrative review examines electrical and electrochemical methods, ultrasound, light-based and photodynamic treatments, plasma and thermal approaches, nanomaterials and photocatalysis, surface modification, and physicochemical detection methods, with particular emphasis on magnetic-field-based strategies. Contemporary primary studies published from January 2025 to July 2026 were considered together with selected earlier studies providing methodological or comparative context. Findings: Physicochemical approaches produced substantial effects across bacterial and fungal biofilm models, but outcomes were strongly dependent on experimental conditions and assessment methods. Cultivability, biomass, metabolic activity, adhesion, detachment, architecture, and physicochemical signals represent distinct aspects of biofilm behavior and should not be interpreted interchangeably. Real-time monitoring methods provide valuable temporal information but require validation against biological endpoints. Magnetic approaches particularly illustrate this methodological heterogeneity. Direct magnetic-field exposure produced variable and incompletely standardized responses, whereas magnetothermal, magnetomechanical, and magnetically guided systems generally showed more consistently quantified antibiofilm effects. Further progress requires standardized physicochemical characterization, appropriate mechanistic controls, clinically representative models, and complementary assessment of biofilm viability, biomass, structure, and regrowth.
SN - 2079-6382
ER -