Phoretic Delivery of Colloids to Biofilms in Complex Environments

Bacterial infections are notoriously challenging to treat due to the biofilm extracellular polymer matrix's ability to limit the diffusion and penetration of drugs. We present an effective approach to enhance nanoparticle penetration into biofilms formed in complex environments. Utilizing microfluidic experiments, we demonstrate that phoretic migration due to imposed solute gradients can be harnessed to deliver colloidal particles into the biofilm matrix. This technique holds promise for targeted treatment of bacterial infections in confined, and tortuous environments such as skin, intestine, or medical implants.