Fundamentals of Biofilm Research
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Summary
The history of natural sciences demonstrates that major advances in the understanding of natural processes follow the development of relevant tools. The progress of biofilm research is no different. While individual areas have mushroomed in recent years, difficulties in reproducing results, communicating new findings, and reconciling differences in conceptual versus mathematical advances are holding back the true growth of the field.
Fundamentals of Biofilm Research offers a system of compatible tools and measurements that can be used to conduct biofilm studies and consistently interpret their results. After extensive testing and refinement in labs and classrooms over twenty years, the authors introduce a coherent system of conceptual, physical, computational, and virtual tools to help achieve reproducible results, align research specific parameters, ease difficulties in communication among disparate arenas, and implement consistent and reproducible procedures to interpret meaningful results. The authors reconcile the inability of computational methods to account for conceptual variables with the use of the stratified biofilm model. In this way researchers can combine the results of various measurements conducted within the space occupied by the biofilm.In addition to the wealth of information provided in the book, the authors also provide a CD with several software packages including extracting numerical parameters, computing nutrient concentration, calculating biokinetic parameters, controlling micropositioners, and measuring chemical concentration using microelectrodes.
Emphasizing process analysis, engineering systems, biofilm applications, and mathematical modeling, Fundamentals of Biofilm Research provides the tools to synergize and unify research and advance biofilm research as a whole.
Table of Contents
Introduction to Biofilms and to Biofilm Research
Introduction
Terminology
Characterizing the Compartments of Biofilm Systems
Strategy of Biofilm Research
Laboratory Biofilm Reactors and Their Applications
Variables in Biofilm Reactors
LBRs as Scale Models
Factors Affecting Biofilm Processes in LBRs
Operating Modes of LBRs
LBRs and Their Typical Applications
Using LBRs in Conjunction with Other Tools to Explore Biofilm Processes at the Microscale
Functionality of LBRs
Sensors Useful in Biofilm Research
Fundamental Concepts in Electrochemistry and Principles of Electrochemical Sensors
Microsensors
Microsensors: Construction, Instrumentation, and Calibration
Constructing Microelectrodes
Constructing Fiberoptic Microsensors
Controlling Microelectrode Movements and Data Acquisition
Quantifying Biofilm Structure
The Need to Quantify Biofilm Structure
Types of Images
Computing Parameters from Biofilm Images
Quantifying Biomass Distribution In 3-D from Stacks of Biofilm Images
Computing 3-D Parameters from Stacks of Biofilm Images
Interfering Effects
Testing Available Software Packages Quantifying Biofilm Structure
Directions of Future Research on Quantifying Biofilm Structure
Interpreting Results of Biofilm Studies Using the Model of Stratified Biofilms
Conceptual Model of Stratified Biofilms
Interpreting Results of Biofilm Studies Using the Conceptual Model of Stratified Biofilms
Using the Model of Stratified Biofilm to Refine Conceptual Models of Biofilm Structure and Activity
Computing Biokinetics Parameters in Stratified Biofilms
Mathematical Modeling of Biofilm Processes and Experimental Verification of Model’s Prediction
Protocols and Procedures
Preparing the Experimental System
Quantifying Microbial Growth Kinetics
Preparing and Operating Biofilm Reactors
Editorial Reviews
"True to its word, this book describes the fundamentals of biofilm research from a bioengineering perspective in an easy-to-read and straightforward manner. This is an interesting, logical and well-written book . . . this is a comprehensive and well rounded book which is complementary to other literature in this area."
– In Microbiology Today, Nov 2008
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