MICROBIAL BIOFILMS: MICROBIAL BUNKERS FOR HUMAN

BENEFIT
Biofilms are found abundantly in the nature on rocks, in industrial
pipelines, in clinical appliances and also inside living organisms. Microbial
biofilms have gained popularity due to the negative impacts caused for
human health such as forming dental plaques, as food pathogens,
colonization of implanted human organs etc. Bacterial species like
Pseudomonas aeruginosa, E. coli and yeasts like Candida are involved in
clinical biofilms. However, besides these negative issues, biotechnology
has made it possible to use these microbial communities with special
characteristics for human efficacy.
A microbial biofilms can consist of bacteria, fungi, archea, protozoa and
algae. Mostly, microorganisms are present as biofilms in the environment.
For an instant, microbial biofilms in the soil induces plant growth and
protects plants from soil borne pathogens. A single biofilm consist of
different species of the different organisms which makes it an advanced
form of microbial communities. Biofilms are difficult to eradicate using
antibiotics and other antimicrobial agents including chlorine using the
standard concentrations. Bacterial biofilms readily develop antibiotic
resistance if higher doses are used. Recent research focuses on defining
minimum biofilm eliminating concentration (MBEC) instead of minimum
inhibitory concentration (MIC) for bacterial biofilms.
Formation of biofilms basically depends on the adherent properties of the
microbial cells. First the individual cells adhere to a biotic or abiotic
surface in a reversible manner which then attaches to the surface more
firmly by cell surface structures such as pilli, fimbriae. Then the cells
increase in number. In further development of the biofilm, the cells
produce an extracellular matrix composed of polysaccharides, proteins
which in turn defend the biofilm from external environmental stresses. The
microbial cells in the biofilm have unique physiological properties when
compared to individual planktonic cells of the same organism. This
uniqueness also corresponds to the relative position of the cell in the
biofilm. The cells at the surface of the biofilm are more metabolically
active and larger in size. They continue to divide and develop the biofilm
whereas the cells at the depth are in a likely dormant state which
becomes active with the death of surface cells. In antimicrobial
treatments, only the top cell layer is affected in this microniche.
Communication between microbial cells takes place by quorum sensing &
they may form channels which permits uptake of nutrients, water etc.
Microenvironment in the biofilm is subjected to changes in pH, oxygen
concentration depending on the macroenvironment. In terms of metabolic

rates, biofilms are far more advanced than individual cells and hence can
be used efficiently.
Biofuel production has gained a considerable attention as a substitute to
fossil fuel which in turn reduces greenhouse effect caused by burning of
fossil fuels. Scientists are trying to produce ethanol with the help of
microbial biofilms using cellulose in plants as the starting material.
Microbes involved in decaying plant substances which can form biofilms
are used for biofuel production. These microorganisms are capable of
producing hydrolytic enzymes called cellulosomes. Microorganisms found
in the biofilms used for biofilm production include bacteria like
Cellulomonas and fungi like Aspergillus. Industrial biofuel production is not
sufficiently cost effective due to the required pretreatments which convert
the cellulose to simple sugars or organic acids which is then converted to
ethanol by fermentation using fungi and bacteria. As the biofilm is
immobilized into a solid surface the recovery of the product becomes
efficient. With the use of biofilms; bioprocessing, delignification,
saccharification, fermentation and separation is possible inside a single
reactor which is advantageous over usual industrial methods.
Biofilters are another use of biofilm technology which is used to purify
polluted air released from industries. In this, the exhaust air is passed
through the biofilter before its released or reused. Generally under
optimized conditions, a biofilter can reduce off odours in exhaust air due
to Ammonia, Hydrogen sulfide etc. Moisture content in the growth medium
and the retention time for exhaust air can be controlled to optimize the
process. Biofilter media usually consist of wood chips and compost which
supplies nutrients, energy and water to microorganisms. Porosity in the
biofilter is also significant for the efficiency of the biofilter. By products of
the biofilter includes Carbon dioxide, water, minerals and organic
compounds which makes it ecofriendly.
Bacterial biofilms are the powerhouse of microbial fuel cells (MFC). Using
biofilms in the fuel cells permits waste decomposition which is another
advantage. Microbial fuel cells consist of an anode, a cathode, electrolyte
solution and an external circuit. An electric current is generated as a result
of microbial metabolic activities in the biofilm. Microbial energy production
using organic waste results in production of Carbon dioxide and free
electrons. This flow of electrons from the medium to anode and back to
cathode generate an electric current. The biofilm matrix play an important
role in electrical conductivity as it encloses micro scale conductive
nanowires. Clostridium cellulolyticum and Geobacter sulferreducens are
commonly used bacterial species in microbial fuel cells. A recent discovery
states that a bacterium, Bacillus stratosphericus found in the atmosphere

was able to produce electricity more efficiently in an artificially created

biofilm for a microbial fuel cell. In waste water treatments, microalgae
and bacteria are used in biofilms converting the organic waste into simple
products.
In bioremediation, biofilms are used for degrading oil spills, detoxification
and purification which minimize the complex processes of using chemical
and physical methods. Microbes are capable of removing the
contaminants present in very minute quantities such as heavy metals,
chlorinated hydrocarbons and polyaromatic hydrocarbons.
Apart from these major applications, biofilms are used as models for
studies on quorum sensing, genetic heterogeneity and physiological
properties. Further studies are performed to understand the complex
behavior of these microbial communities and to use them for human
benefit. However, the complexity of the microorganisms in a biofilm in
terms of metabolic diversity and species diversity has made it difficult to
understand the principle pathways in biofilms.