Assessment of the efficacy of Klorkleen, a foaming sodium troclosene-containing product, against Pseudomonas fluorescens biofilms using a sink drain model

Aims : To improve biofilm removal from hospital sink drains, this study aimed to develop an in vitro biofilm drain model to assess the efficacy of a foaming sodium troclosene (NaDCC) product against Pseudomonas fluorescens biofilms. Methods and Results The biofilm drain model was established using sterile silicone tubing, aspirator bottles, and peristaltic pumps. Established biofilms were challenged with 1,000 ppm of a foaming NaDCC containing product for 1-minute and 4-minutes and CFU counts were conducted on front, middle, and back sections of the drain model. Biofilm regrowth was also assessed after disinfection treatment by conducting CFU counts 2 days post disinfection. A 4-minute application led to a minimum viable bacteria reduction of 6-log10, and bacterial reduction was greatest in the middle and back sections of the drain model. However, biofilm quickly regrew 2 days post disinfection, only achieving a 2-log10 reduction in total bacteria compared to the untreated control biofilm. Conclusions The developed biofilm drain model enables more representative testing of disinfectants by reflecting hydrodynamic conditions of sink drains, providing a better understanding of disinfectant performance in real-world applications. While more testing is needed, this study demonstrates the potential use for the foaming NaDCC product in controlling drain biofilms.