Skip to main content
NCBI home page
Applied and Environmental Microbiology logoLink to Applied and Environmental Microbiology
. 1995 Feb;61(2):769–777. doi: 10.1128/aem.61.2.769-777.1995

Channel structures in aerobic biofilms of fixed-film reactors treating contaminated groundwater.

A A Massol-Deyá 1, J Whallon 1, R F Hickey 1, J M Tiedje 1
PMCID: PMC167336  PMID: 7574613

Abstract

Scanning electron microscopy, confocal scanning laser microscopy, and fatty acid methyl ester profiles were used to study the development, organization, and structure of aerobic multispecies biofilm communities in granular activated-carbon (GAC) fluidized-bed reactors treating petroleum-contaminated groundwaters. The sequential development of biofilm structure was studied in a laboratory reactor fed toluene-amended groundwater and colonized by the indigenous aquifer populations. During the early stages of colonization, microcolonies were observed primarily in crevices and other regions sheltered from hydraulic shear forces. Eventually, these microcolonies grew over the entire surface of the GAC. This growth led to the development of discrete discontinuous multilayer biofilm structures. Cell-free channel-like structures of variable sizes were observed to interconnect the surface film with the deep inner layers. These interconnections appeared to increase the biological surface area per unit volume ratio, which may facilitate transport of substrates into and waste products out of deep regions of the biofilm at rates greater than possible by diffusion alone. These architectural features were also observed in biofilms from four field-scale GAC reactors that were in commercial operation treating petroleum-contaminated groundwaters. These shared features suggest that formation of cell-free channel structures and their maintenance may be a general microbial strategy to deal with the problem of limiting diffusive transport in thick biofilms typical of fluidized-bed reactors.

Full Text

The Full Text of this article is available as a PDF (1.3 MB).

Selected References

These references are in PubMed. This may not be the complete list of references from this article.

  1. Blenkinsopp S. A., Khoury A. E., Costerton J. W. Electrical enhancement of biocide efficacy against Pseudomonas aeruginosa biofilms. Appl Environ Microbiol. 1992 Nov;58(11):3770–3773. doi: 10.1128/aem.58.11.3770-3773.1992. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  2. Brown M. L., Gauthier J. J. Cell Density and Growth Phase as Factors in the Resistance of a Biofilm of Pseudomonas aeruginosa (ATCC 27853) to Iodine. Appl Environ Microbiol. 1993 Jul;59(7):2320–2322. doi: 10.1128/aem.59.7.2320-2322.1993. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  3. Brown M. R., Allison D. G., Gilbert P. Resistance of bacterial biofilms to antibiotics: a growth-rate related effect? J Antimicrob Chemother. 1988 Dec;22(6):777–780. doi: 10.1093/jac/22.6.777. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  4. Carlsson K., Liljeborg A. A confocal laser microscope scanner for digital recording of optical serial sections. J Microsc. 1989 Feb;153(Pt 2):171–180. doi: 10.1111/j.1365-2818.1989.tb00557.x. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  5. Carlsson K., Wallén P., Brodin L. Three-dimensional imaging of neurons by confocal fluorescence microscopy. J Microsc. 1989 Jul;155(Pt 1):15–26. doi: 10.1111/j.1365-2818.1989.tb04296.x. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  6. Costerton J. W., Cheng K. J., Geesey G. G., Ladd T. I., Nickel J. C., Dasgupta M., Marrie T. J. Bacterial biofilms in nature and disease. Annu Rev Microbiol. 1987;41:435–464. doi: 10.1146/annurev.mi.41.100187.002251. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  7. Dean B. J. Recent findings on the genetic toxicology of benzene, toluene, xylenes and phenols. Mutat Res. 1985 Nov;154(3):153–181. doi: 10.1016/0165-1110(85)90016-8. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  8. Frostegård A., Tunlid A., Båth E. Phospholipid Fatty Acid composition, biomass, and activity of microbial communities from two soil types experimentally exposed to different heavy metals. Appl Environ Microbiol. 1993 Nov;59(11):3605–3617. doi: 10.1128/aem.59.11.3605-3617.1993. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  9. Geesey G. G., Costerton J. W. Microbiology of a northern river: bacterial distribution and relationship to suspended sediment and organic carbon. Can J Microbiol. 1979 Sep;25(9):1058–1062. doi: 10.1139/m79-162. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  10. Haack S. K., Garchow H., Odelson D. A., Forney L. J., Klug M. J. Accuracy, reproducibility, and interpretation of Fatty Acid methyl ester profiles of model bacterial communities. Appl Environ Microbiol. 1994 Jul;60(7):2483–2493. doi: 10.1128/aem.60.7.2483-2493.1994. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  11. Kühl M., Jørgensen B. B. Microsensor measurements of sulfate reduction and sulfide oxidation in compact microbial communities of aerobic biofilms. Appl Environ Microbiol. 1992 Apr;58(4):1164–1174. doi: 10.1128/aem.58.4.1164-1174.1992. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  12. Lawrence J. R., Korber D. R., Hoyle B. D., Costerton J. W., Caldwell D. E. Optical sectioning of microbial biofilms. J Bacteriol. 1991 Oct;173(20):6558–6567. doi: 10.1128/jb.173.20.6558-6567.1991. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  13. MacLeod F. A., Guiot S. R., Costerton J. W. Layered structure of bacterial aggregates produced in an upflow anaerobic sludge bed and filter reactor. Appl Environ Microbiol. 1990 Jun;56(6):1598–1607. doi: 10.1128/aem.56.6.1598-1607.1990. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  14. Owens J. D., Keddie R. M. The nitrogen nutrition of soil and herbage coryneform bacteria. J Appl Bacteriol. 1969 Sep;32(3):338–347. doi: 10.1111/j.1365-2672.1969.tb00981.x. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  15. Peltonen R., Ling W. H., Hänninen O., Eerola E. An uncooked vegan diet shifts the profile of human fecal microflora: computerized analysis of direct stool sample gas-liquid chromatography profiles of bacterial cellular fatty acids. Appl Environ Microbiol. 1992 Nov;58(11):3660–3666. doi: 10.1128/aem.58.11.3660-3666.1992. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  16. Rajendran N., Matsuda O., Imamura N., Urushigawa Y. Variation in microbial biomass and community structure in sediments of eutrophic bays as determined by phospholipid ester-linked Fatty acids. Appl Environ Microbiol. 1992 Feb;58(2):562–571. doi: 10.1128/aem.58.2.562-571.1992. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  17. Ramsing N. B., Kühl M., Jørgensen B. B. Distribution of sulfate-reducing bacteria, O2, and H2S in photosynthetic biofilms determined by oligonucleotide probes and microelectrodes. Appl Environ Microbiol. 1993 Nov;59(11):3840–3849. doi: 10.1128/aem.59.11.3840-3849.1993. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  18. Robinson R. W., Akin D. E., Nordstedt R. A., Thomas M. V., Aldrich H. C. Light and electron microscopic examinations of methane-producing biofilms from anaerobic fixed-bed reactors. Appl Environ Microbiol. 1984 Jul;48(1):127–136. doi: 10.1128/aem.48.1.127-136.1984. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  19. Stoodley P., Debeer D., Lewandowski Z. Liquid flow in biofilm systems. Appl Environ Microbiol. 1994 Aug;60(8):2711–2716. doi: 10.1128/aem.60.8.2711-2716.1994. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  20. Warren T. M., Williams V., Fletcher M. Influence of solid surface, adhesive ability, and inoculum size on bacterial colonization in microcosm studies. Appl Environ Microbiol. 1992 Sep;58(9):2954–2959. doi: 10.1128/aem.58.9.2954-2959.1992. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  21. Williamson K., McCarty P. L. A model of substrate utilization by bacterial films. J Water Pollut Control Fed. 1976 Jan;48(1):9–24. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  22. Wolfaardt G. M., Lawrence J. R., Robarts R. D., Caldwell S. J., Caldwell D. E. Multicellular organization in a degradative biofilm community. Appl Environ Microbiol. 1994 Feb;60(2):434–446. doi: 10.1128/aem.60.2.434-446.1994. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  23. Wu W. M., Hickey R. F., Zeikus J. G. Characterization of metabolic performance of methanogenic granules treating brewery wastewater: role of sulfate-reducing bacteria. Appl Environ Microbiol. 1991 Dec;57(12):3438–3449. doi: 10.1128/aem.57.12.3438-3449.1991. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  24. Zimmermann R., Iturriaga R., Becker-Birck J. Simultaneous determination of the total number of aquatic bacteria and the number thereof involved in respiration. Appl Environ Microbiol. 1978 Dec;36(6):926–935. doi: 10.1128/aem.36.6.926-935.1978. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]

Articles from Applied and Environmental Microbiology are provided here courtesy of American Society for Microbiology (ASM)

RESOURCES