ABSTRACT
Microbial biofilms have become an important biological component, intentionally or unintentionally, in many industrial water systems. The accumulation of microbial biomass on equipment surfaces in contact with aqueous media poses a variety of problems for water system operators ranging from under-deposit corrosion, to loss in heat transfer efficiency or hydraulic valve malfunction. Historically, industries have had to take a biofouled system off-line for periods of time either to mechanically remove the fouling layer or to replace the equipment when damaged beyond repair. Frequently, chemical biocides are used to “control” biofilm accumulation on industrial surfaces, but
more often than not, a biofouling layer eventually appears, and if the layer cannot be subsequently removed by application of alternative biocides, the system must be taken off-line and mechanically cleaned (Strauss, 1985).
