Biofilms are aggregates of microorganisms suspended in a matrix of extracellular polymeric substances attached to a surface. Their resistance to toxic shocks and retention of slow-growing microorganisms make biofilms advantageous wastewater treatment strategies, achieving efficient removal of a variety of contaminants.
What makes biofilms an effective wastewater treatment strategy?
Oct 26, 2015 · Biofilm in wastewater treatment. Biofilm system is a well-developed technology in which solid media are added to suspended growth reactors to provide attachment surfaces for biofilms, so as to increase the microbial concentration as well as rates of contaminant degradation biofilms to take advantage of a number of removal mechanisms, including …
How do biofilms affect household cleaning?
Jun 16, 2021 · Biofilm method: A method of treating sewage or waste gas by using a film-like biome fixed on the surface of inert material. The biological filter method, biological contact oxidation method and biological turntable method all belong to this method. ... Low energy consumption, high treatment efficiency 3) Convenient management and easy operation ...
What is a biofilm and how does it form?
Jun 16, 2020 · A method of treating sewage or waste gas by using a film-like biome fixed on the surface of an inert material. The biological filter method, biological contact oxidation method and biological turntable method all belong to this method. Distillation Technology. (1) Biological filter A bioreactor used to treat sewage, which is filled with inert ...
How do I remove the biofilm from my product?
Sep 05, 2017 · What are the biofilm functions in wastewater treatment. Biofilms act to increase microbial population density in flow through systems. In attached growth, surface biofilms prevent hydraulic washout and promote more efficient pollution removal than seen in …
What causes a biofilm to form?
What stimulates biofilm formation?
What 3 characteristics would apply to a biofilm?
- Biofilms are complex, dynamic structures. ...
- Genetic expression is different in biofilm bacteria when compared to planktonic bacteria. ...
- Biofilm cells can coordinate behavior via intercellular "communication" using biochemical signaling molecules.
What causes biofilm in water?
How can biofilm formation be prevented?
What are the 3 main steps in biofilm formation?
What is one characteristic of a biofilm?
What is the composition of biofilm?
What is a biofilm made of?
How is biofilm treated in water?
What problems do biofilms cause?
How do you get rid of biofilm in water pipes?
Why are biofilms important?
Biofilms are important in water and wastewater treatment systems. Biofilms are aggregates of microorganisms suspended in a matrix of extracellular polymeric substances attached to a surface. Their resistance to toxic shocks and retention of slow-growing microorganisms make biofilms advantageous wastewater treatment strategies, achieving efficient removal of a variety of contaminants. Conversely, biofilm mass transfer resistance and predation protection allow them to persist in water distribution systems and other treatment infrastructure where they corrode pipes, reduce pressure head, and allow pathogen persistence. This chapter outlines fundamental biofilm processes, highlights the benefits of biofilm treatment processes, and describes strategies for biofilm control.
What is IFAS in wastewater treatment?
In this study, a laboratory-scale continuous-flow, mixed-growth biological treatment process, based on the integrated fixed-film activated sludge (IFAS) process, was configured using granular activated carbon as the attached-growth media. With potential to degrade target organics, the application of this process for treating the petrochemical industry wastewater may provide a flexible, more efficient, and inexpensive replacement for the activated sludge and other biological treatment processes. The laboratory-scale IFAS configuration was experimented to evaluate the process ability to enhance the biodegradation process utilizing both suspended growth and attached growth, to evaluate its ability to remove nitrogen and phosphorous, and to identify conditions of predominance of attached versus suspended growth. Ratios of attached to suspended growth reached 3 at steady-state conditions; the laboratory-scale flow-through column reached a steady-state operation in 1–2 h, promising smaller tank volumes on a large-scale application. The organics’ removal rates were found to be sensitive to higher initial concentrations and higher hydraulic loading within the range tested in this work. However, nitrogen and phosphorous removal rates were low, and it was mainly attributed to the low total phosphorous-to-chemical oxygen demand ratio representing the bottleneck for upscaling this process.
What is biofilm in bacteria?
Within a biofilm, one or more types of bacteria and/or fungi share nutrients and DNA and undergo changes to evade the immune system. Since it requires less oxygen and fewer nutrients and alters the pH at the core, the biofilm is a hostile community for most antibiotics. In addition, the biofilm forms a physical barrier that keeps most immune cells ...
How to diagnose biofilm?
Biofilms Are Difficult to Diagnose 1 First, bacteria within the biofilm are tucked away in the matrix. Therefore, swabs and cultures often show up negative. Stool samples usually do not contain the biofilm bacteria, either. 2 Second, biofilm samples within the GI tract are difficult to obtain. The procedure would require an invasive endoscope and foreknowledge of where the biofilm is located. What’s more, no current procedure to remove biofilm from the lining of the GI tract exists. 3 Third, biofilm bacteria are not easily cultured. Therefore, even if you are able to obtain a sample, it may again test negative because of the microbes’ adapted lower nutrient requirements, rendering normal culture techniques null ( 7 ). 4 Fourth, biofilms might also play a role in the healthy gut, making it difficult to distinguish between pathogenic and healthy communities ( 4, 7 ).
What enzymes are used to break down biofilm?
Clinicians instead need to break down the biofilm, attack the pathogenic bacteria within, and mop up the leftover matrix, DNA, and minerals. Biofilm disruptors are the first course of action. Enzymes such as nattokinase and lumbrokinase have been used extensively as coatings on implants to fight biofilms ( 22, 23 ).
Do bacteria exist in biofilms?
Most Bacteria Are Present in Biofilms, Not as Single-Acting Cells. The popular image of bacteria depicts single cells floating around, releasing toxins and damaging the host. However, most bacteria do not exist in this planktonic form in the human body, but rather in sessile communities called biofilms. To form a biofilm, bacteria first adhere ...
Do bacteria have a planktonic form?
The popular image of bacteria depicts single cells floating around, releasing toxins and damaging the host. However, most bacteria do not exist in this planktonic form in the human body, but rather in sessile communities called biofilms. To form a biofilm, bacteria first adhere to a surface and then generate a polysaccharide matrix ...
What is the current model of care?
The Current Model of Care Misses the Mark. The current model of care usually assumes acute infections caused by planktonic bacteria. However, since the vast majority of bacteria are hidden in biofilms, healthcare providers are treating most illnesses ineffectively.
Where are biofilms found?
Biofilms found along the epithelial lining of the nasal passageways and GI tract are less understood.
Is biofilm hard to remove?
Biofilms are difficult to remove without physical agitation (i.e., elbow grease), and. Bacteria surrounded by biofilm are harder to kill with sanitizers and disinfectants and harder to remove even with microfiber.
Where are biofilms found?
Just like the bacteria that form them, biofilms are everywhere – on slippery submerged rocks and in clogged pipes and drains. There’s even a biofilm in your mouth – it’s the dental plaque which forms on your teeth and contributes to tooth decay. What exactly is a biofilm?
Where is S. marcescens found?
S. marcescens is a common but opportunistic human pathogen found in moist locations that can infect open wounds and the respiratory and urinary tracts of immunocompromised adults and children. The primary treatment is antibiotics, but unfortunately some antibiotic-resistant strains have been found.
Does steam kill biofilms?
Administering steam vapor will assist in reaching and killing those hard to reach bacteria, allowing a longer time between biofilm appearances. Targeted use of an oxidizer like household bleach or oxygen bleach, used according to directions, may remove discolorations caused by biofilms.
How to clean a toilet bowl with bleach?
Follow directions on label. After cleaning and disinfecting, pour ¼ cup of household bleach into the toilet tank.
What is slimy and sticky and red all over?
What’s slimy and sticky and red all over? No, it’s not a snail reading a newspaper. It’s a biofilm containing the bacteria Serratia marcescens ( S. marcescens ), which produces a pinkish color and is commonly found on surfaces in tub enclosures, shower stalls, toilet bowls, on tiles, in sinks and even in pet water bowls.
Abstract
A brief introduction of the long history of biofilm-based wastewater treatment is given together with basics of biofilm behavior and mechanisms in removal and transformation of pollutants. Moving bed biofilm reactor (MBBR) principles and applications of such are presented.
1. Introduction
The use of biofilm systems in wastewater treatment is being increased rapidly because of its tempting approach of pollutant removal from wastewater, which has been proved to be effective in terms of both cost and environmental perspectives [ 1, 2 ].
2. Moving bed biofilm reactor
Moving bed biofilm reactor (MBBR) is an advanced wastewater treatment technology, which employs the benefits of both biofilm and activated sludge processes for highly efficient wastewater treatment [ 14 ].
3. MBBR case study
This chapter provides a case study where the novel CFIC biofilm process has been studied for municipal wastewater treatment, including for organic, ammonia, and total nitrogen removal. The CFIC process operates in two modes, a normal operation where high carrier filling is applied and a washing mode for extra sludge removal ( Figure 6 ).
4. Conclusions
Wastewater treatment by applying biofilm has been developed over the years, and various biofilm processes are playing important roles at different stages of wastewater treatment industries. MBBR concept based on biofilm is widely used for organic and inorganic removal in both industrial and municipal wastewater remediation.
Acknowledgments
The authors would like to thank the funding provided by Oslofjordfondet No. 269014 and the University of South-Eastern Norway.
