Bacterial-mediated biofouling: Fundamentals and control techniques

Biofouling is a serious drawback found in technological tools exposed in an aqueous medium; it plays a significant role in selecting suitable materials used in a different industrial application like food processing industry, shipping yards, water treatment and desalting tools; consequently, it has huge impact viability and economic feasibility of those systems. Biofouling includes organic fouling, particulate/ colloidal fouling and fouling occurred due to microbial/biological entities. The present chapters dealt about bacterial mediated biofouling. Bacterial-mediated biofouling represents the "Achilles heel" due to bacteria's ability to multiply over time; this type of biofouling is potentially more dangerous. An iota of living cells attached to the surface can grow and form biofilms using the dissolve organic substances in the water. Bacterial biofouling is recently gaining much interest due to it's severe economic and environmental adverse effects. In the present book chapter, the different types of biofouling and their causes have been highlighted. A thorough understanding of the fundamental principles of biofilm generation would help to prevent biofouling. Basics of biofilm development causing fouling and the factors affecting fouling have been depicted. A short discussion about the means to mitigate biofouling has been provided. The present chapters also described different anti-biofouling strategies adapted to in various industrial tools. A brief description of the influence of biofouling in water treatment, food processing, and biomedical devices has been provided. Advantages and disadvantages of bacterial-mediated biofouling have been discussed.