ABSTRACT
I. INTRODUCTION Microbial adhesion to surfaces is ubiquitous, simply because it represents a mode of survival for the organisms (1). For example, clearance of microorganisms from the oral cavity by salivary flow leads to cell death in the gastrointestinal tract, which can be avoided by adhesion to teeth or oral mucosa. Adhesion and biofilm formation on biomedical implants protect the organisms against the host immune system and environmental attacks such as by antimicrobials (2). Often, as on marine and other aquatic surfaces, nutrients accumulate at surfaces (3), constituting another reason for microorganisms to adhere. In bioreactors, microbial adhesion is stimulated to maintain a biofilm for optimal production conditions (4). In contrast, in many biomedical applications or in drinking water systems, microbial adhesion is undesirable (5).
