Soil, Water and Environmental Sustainability

Bioremediation, Biofilms and Biofouling: Water System

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It is microbial cells attached to surfaces in moist environments that form biofilms.  Biofouling implies their accumulation on both living and non-living surfaces. Biofilm-associated cells are known to cost nations billions of US Dollars every year in equipment and machine maintenance, product contamination, medical device-related infections, and energy loss;  with attendant adverse effects on drinking water quality, causing disinfectant decay,  taste, odour and spread of pathogenic diseases. Biofilms function as biofilters, releasing metabolites such asrganic and inorganic acids,  ammonia, hydrogen sulphide and displaying bioaccumulation properties.  On this note, this paper reviews the challenges and various methods adopted to prevent  and  inhibit  the  formation  of  biofilms,  managing  biofilms, advances  in  biofilm  research  for quality drinking water,  public  health implications of biofilms and economic cost of biofilms.