Fig. 3.

CLSM images of 72h P. fluorescens WCS365 biofilms after exposure to (A) Bare-SiNPs, (B) Amine-SiNPs, (C) Epoxy-SiNPs and (D) Hydroxy-SiNPs. Biofilm cells were stained with Syto9 (green) and SiNPs were labelled with RITC (red). The central images show the horizontal (xy) section 0.5 μm above the substrate surface. Upper and side panels represent z-stack images of the xz and yz planes, respectively. The yellow lines indicate the position of xz and yz planes on the xy section images. White arrows and arrowheads indicate the distribution patterns of SiNPs and white dashed squares represents the centre of the microcolonies. Representative images from three independent experiments are displayed. Scale bar represents 20 μm. (For interpretation of the references to colour in this figure legend, the reader is referred to the Web version of this article.)