Fundamentals of Biofilm Research

This second edition is a substantial revision of a well-regarded book in biofilm research. Biofilms have taken on added importance in the past several years due to concerns regarding microbial contamination as well as biofilms in water distribution systems and hospital/medical environments. The book includes updates in every chapter and adds three new chapters, namely: Optical Imaging of Biofilms, Biofilms and Microbially Influenced Corrosion, and Biofilms and Microbial Fuel Cells. Another key feature is the incorporation of energy conversion into a number of relevant chapters.

The six years that have passed since the publication of the first edition have brought significant advances in both biofilm research and biofilm engineering, which have matured to the extent that biofilm-based technologies are now being designed and implemented. As a result, many chapters have been updated and expanded with the addition of sections reflecting changes in the status quo in biofilm research and engineering. Emphasizing process analysis, engineering systems, biofilm applications, and mathematical modeling, Fundamentals of Biofilm Research, Second Edition provides the tools to unify and advance biofilm research as a whole.

Retaining the goals of the first edition, this second edition serves as:

• A compendium of knowledge about biofilms and biofilm processes
• A set of instructions for designing and conducting biofilm experiments
• A set of instructions for making and using various tools useful in biofilm research
• A set of computational procedures useful in interpreting results of biofilm research
• A set of instructions for using the model of stratified biofilms for data interpretation, analysis, and biofilm activity prediction