Biofouling and biofilms are the terms used to describe the attachment of biological material to surfaces. A number of organisms including bacteria, protozoa, amoebae, fungi, barnacles and other organisms have been shown to form biofilms that create nuisances in man-made environments.

Biofilms occur and are a problem in the water service utilities, many industrial processes including the food, pharmaceutical, paint, oil processing and manufacturing, and engineering industries. In addition they may create havoc in medicine and dentistry. Industrial Biofouling covers biofouling/biofilms in domestic, industrial and health related fields in which they are a persistent problem.

Contents:

1. Biofilms and Biofouling
   • Biofilm Formation
   • Biofilm Structure
   • Advantages of growth within biofilms
   • Problems of biofilms and biofouling in industry
   • Control of biofilm

2. Biofouling in Drinking Water Systems
   • Problems of Biofouling in Drinking Water Systems
     Regrowth in distribution systems
     Public health issues
     Bacteria
     Viruses and protozoa (Giardia and Cryptosporiduim)
     Management of biofilms in distribution systems
     Monitoring and testing for biofilms in distribution systems

   • Detection of Biofouling in Drinking Water Systems
     Scanning Electron Microscopy Analysis
     The Robbins device
     Preparation of biofilms for analysis
     Biofilm analysis using culture
     Atomic force microscopy analysis
     Biofilm activity measurement
     Microscopy-based detection methods
     Application of detection methods in environmental samples
     Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy
     Gas chromatography-mass spectrometry
     In Situ hybridization
     Other molecular techniques

   • Control of Biofouling in Drinking Water Systems
     Introduction to disinfection
     Effects of Disinfectants on Biofilms
     Chlorine
     Cholramines
     Cholrine dioxide
     Ozone
     Ultraviolet light
     Ionization
     Other biocides used in potable water
     Future methods in the control and removal of biofilms
     Disinfectant resistant organisms
     Overall control of biofilms in general
     Short term control of biofilms in potable water
     Long term control of biofilms in potable water

3. Biofouling in Industrial Waters and Processes
   • Problems of Biofilms in Industrial Waters and Processes
     Biofouling and biodeterioration
     Biofouling of industrial waters
     Water systems
     Cooling towers
     Biofilms and pipelines
     Filtration systems
     Desalination
     Metal working fluids
     Biofouling of concrete in contact with water
     The resistance of biofilms to biocides
     
   • Detection of Biofilms in Industrial Waters and Processes
     The need for biofilm detection
     Industrial applications which require biofilm detection
     General approach of biofouling detection
     Field tests applied to a detection system
     Laboratory tests applied to biofouling detection
     Detection and enumeration of microorganisms with processes
     Sampling devices as part of biofouling detection system
     Choice of monitoring devices
     Examination of biofilms on sampling devices
     On-line monitoring
     
   • Control of Biofouling in Industrial Waters and Processes
     Detection of biofilms
     Sanitation
     Prevention

4. Biofilms in the Food and Beverage Industry
   • Problems of Biofilms in the Food and Beverage Industry
     Microbiology
     Biofilm development
     Biofilms in the food industry
     Implications of biofilms to the food industry
     
   • Detection of Biofilms in the Food and Beverage Industry
     Sampling from process surfaces for microbial assessment
     Tools in research and industrial use
     Future prospects for on-line monitoring of microbial deposits
     Summary of main methods in hygiene monitoring
     
   • Control of Biofilms in the Food and Beverage Industry
     Controlling microbial attachment
     Controlling growth of attached microorganisms
     Removal of biofilm and product residues
     Surface disinfection
     Development of sanitizer resistant microflora
     Monitoring biofilm control

5. Future Direction of Biofilm Research
   • Methodologies and Their Applications
     Biofilm research-the future direction
     Structure and communication
     When is a cell viable but non-culturable
     Biofilm detection

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