Pelagic bacteria can be classified into free-living and particle-attached life modes, which either dwell in the water column or attach to suspended particles. Bacteria with a generalist style, however, actively shift between these two habitats. Globally increasing densities of natural artificial particles enhance habitat heterogeneity, potential consequences for system stability trophic transfe...

A new approach, termed whole-community RNA amplification (WCRA), was developed to provide sufficient amounts of mRNAs from environmental samples for microarray analysis. This method employs fusion primers (six to nine random nucleotides with an attached T7 promoter) for the first-strand synthesis. The shortest primer (T7N6S) gave the best results in terms of the yield and representativeness of ...

Dental plaque has been defined as “the nonmineralized microbial accumulation that adheres tenaciously to tooth surface, restorations, and prosthetic appliances, shows structural organization with predominance of filamentous forms, is composed of an organic matrix derived from salivary glycoproteins and extracellular microbial products, and cannot be removed by rinsing or water spray” (102). The...

The lack of on-line methodology for the determination of microbial biomass and activity of attached bacteria has severely limited the study of biofilm physiology. This study showed that the fluorescent emission of aromatic amino acids in microbial biofilms can be used to determine the biomass formed on 316 stainless steel coupons. Cells resuspended from the substratum were enumerated by viable ...

Classical treatment of cell attachment by models of filtration or coulombic attraction assumes that attachment of cells to mineral surfaces would be controlled by factors such as response to predation, collision efficiency, or coulombic attraction between the charged groups at the mineral and cell surfaces. In the study reported here, the passive model of attachment was investigated using a nat...

Upgrading of atmospheric CO2 into high-value-added acetate using renewable electricity via electrocatalysis solely remains a great challenge. Here, inspired by microbial synthesis biocatalysts, we present coupled system to produce from bridging inorganic with through formate intermediates. A 3D Bi2O3@CF integrated electrode an ice-sugar gourd shape was fabricated straightforward hydrothermal st...

−− A steady state model of an anaerobic methanogenic biofilm reactor-module that accounts for the biological interactions of four microbial groups, ionic equilibrium in solution, gas-liquid transfer phenomena and biofilm processes is presented. The model consists of a continuous stirred tank reactor type that allocates an inert support material, whose specific surface is taken into account. The...

Biofouling occurs without exception in all water systems, with undesirable effects such as biocorrosion and deterioration of water quality. Drinking water associated biofilms represent a potential risk to human health by harbouring pathogenic or toxin-releasing microorganisms. This is the first study investigating the attached microbiota, with potential threat to human health, in a public water...

The presence of microbial contaminants in urban stormwater is a significant concern for public health; however, their removal by traditional stormwater biofilters has been reported as inconsistent and inadequate. Recent work has explored the use of biochar to improve performance of stormwater biofilters under simplified conditions that do not consider potential effects of biofilm development on...

BACKGROUND: Hydrocarbon-degrading biofilms in the treatment of contaminated groundwaters have received increasing attention due to the role played in the so-called "biobarriers". These are bioremediation systems in which a microbial consortium adherent to a solid support is placed across the flow of a contaminated plume, thus promoting biodegradation of the pollutant. RESULTS: A microbial conso...