Environmental Healthcare Unit, University of Southampton.

The Unit investigates the survival and metabolism of microorganisms in environmental, food and clinical samples, including biofilms.

Work with pathogenic bacteria and protozoa (e.g. Legionella, E. coli O157, Campylobacter, Helicobacter and Cryptosporidium) involves studying their survival as monocultures and in complex communities as biofilms, both in vivo(e.g. teeth and medical implants) and in vitro ecosystems (e.g. work surfaces, drinking water pipework, cooling towers). Remedial studies investigate the efficacy of cleaning and disinfectant treatments.

Recent studies include detection and survival of E. coli O157, Salmonella, Campylobacter, Listeria and Cryptosporidium species in human and animal wastes applied to land (as a potential source of contamination in the food chain) and the suitability of different treatment procedures.

Pipe The biofilm studies extend to study mechanisms of microbially induced corrosion (e.g. copper and iron)and methods of control.

The concerted activities of complex microbial communities grown in continuous culture bioreactors are used for biodegradation and bioremediation clean-up of organics and metals in sediments and complex waste streams.

Prion proteins have been shown to resist the conventional methods of decontamination, cleaning and sterilisation used to recycle surgical instruments. New detection techniques are being developed to detect low concentrations of prion proteins on curved stainless steel surfaces, involving direct observation with advanced light microscopes. These will be used to confirm that any new decontamination, cleaning and sterilisation methods are indeed capable of removing any residual prion proteins from recycled surgical instruments.

The Unit collaborates widely with international research groups and receives funding from research councils, UK Government and EC departments, and international industries.

Facilities available include:

ACDP Category 2 and 3 laboratories.
Cell culture facilities.
Proteomics laboratory.
Multi-stage, titanium-design chemostat systems, including use in Class III containment.
Advanced light microscopy (e.g. episcopic DIC), scanning confocal laser microscopy (SCLM) and 2-photon SCLM image and video analysis for studying biofilm structure and function, survival of microorganisms therein, and corrosion processes.
Gold and fluorescence-labelled enzyme-substrate, antibody and RNA molecular probes for specific detection of bacteria and protozoa.
Analytical chemistry (e.g. HPLC, GC-MS).