Observations on biofilm formation in industrial air-cooling units
Observations on biofilm formation in industrial air-cooling units were made over a 60-day operational period. Methods employed included: epifluorescent direct counts of water and slime samples, enumeration of culturable bacteria in water and slime samples, and ultrastructural observations of microbial attachment to formvar coated grids and epoxy resin blocks. Acridine orange direct counts and culturable counts of bacteria in water samples remained constant over the 60-day cycle, while culturable counts in slime samples increased with time. Interfering fluorescent materials present in the slime made accurate direct counts difficult to obtain. Initial increases in numbers of bacteria on formvar coated grids and culturable counts of slime samples were positively correlated with time. However, after 14 days, the formvar deteriorated and direct transmission electron microscopic bacterial counts could no longer be obtained. Submersion of epoxy resin blocks, especially those with pitted surfaces, provided an excellent method for the observation of bacterial attachment and colonization. 21 references, 3 figures.
- Research Organization:
- Univ. of West Florida, Pensacola
- OSTI ID:
- 6302993
- Report Number(s):
- CONF-8208164-; TRN: 86-004101
- Journal Information:
- Dev. Ind. Microbiol.; (United States), Vol. 24; Conference: 39. general meeting of the Society for Industrial Microbiology, St. Paul, MN, USA, 14 Aug 1982
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
Similar Records
Metabolic activity of bacterial cell enumerated by direct viable count. [Escherichia coli; Salmonella enteritidis]
Metabolic activity of bacterial cells enumerated by direct viable count
Related Subjects
AIR CONDITIONERS
BIOLOGICAL FOULING
MICROORGANISMS
POPULATION DENSITY
COLONY FORMATION
EXPERIMENTAL DATA
INDUSTRIAL PLANTS
SCANNING ELECTRON MICROSCOPY
TIME DEPENDENCE
DATA
ELECTRON MICROSCOPY
FOULING
INFORMATION
MICROSCOPY
NUMERICAL DATA
360405* - Materials- Polymers & Plastics- Degradation & Erosion- (-1987)