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LABORATORY PROCEDURE FOR DETERMINING SUBSTRATE REMOVAL RATE COEFFICIENTS FOR BIOFILMS
Citation:
Lewis, D., J. Jr, D. Gattie, AND W. Sayed. LABORATORY PROCEDURE FOR DETERMINING SUBSTRATE REMOVAL RATE COEFFICIENTS FOR BIOFILMS. U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Washington, D.C., EPA/600/J-89/246 (NTIS PB90137084).
Description:
Although numerous techniques have been standardized for assessing the metabolic activities of free-living (suspended) microorganisms, little corresponding metodology has been developed for attached microorganisms. ecause attached microorganisms, such as those in biofilms, may dominate the microbiology of shallow aquatic ecosystems, methods designed specifically for measuring their activities are a much needed tool in environmental science. he following method gives detailed procedures for measuring the rates of biofilm removal of rapidly degraded hydrophillic organic substrates. Using replicate Teflon strips colonized in aquatic microcosms and a benchmark chemical (2,4-dichlorophenoxyacetic acid methyl ester), substrate removal rate coefficients were determined for a particular ratio of colonized surface area to container volume. These coefficients are applicable in mathematical models used to predict chemical removal rates under field conditions.