Modern Methods in Microscopy for the Assessment of Biofilms and Bioremediation
Guneratna Kuttuva Rajarao
from: Biofilms in Bioremediation: Current Research and Emerging Technologies (Edited by: Gavin Lear). Caister Academic Press, U.K. (2016) Pages: 93-104.
Abstract
Imaging techniques have an important and well-accepted role in many fields including bioremediation. New advanced methods are enhancing quantitative in situ analyses of the structure, composition, processes and dynamics of complex biofilm microbial communities that perform key roles in pollutant degradation and immobilization. Biofilm matrices consist of water or solvent (97%) bound to microbial cells and the physical properties are determined by the solutes present in it. Biofilm systems are suitable for bioremediation due to their enhanced persistence, complexity, mechanisms to increase pollutant availability for degradation and also because of enhanced by gene transfer among the associated organisms. Several microscopy-based techniques have been developed to better understand the role of microbial communities and associated features such as quorum sensing for community structure and functioning. However, there are impediments to characterizing biofilms in situ. This chapter gives an overview of microscopic methods for biofilm bacterial community analysis and mainly focuses on recent advancements in microscopic methods for the assessment of extracellular polymeric substances (EPS) that form a key component of the biofilm matrix read more ...
