The Biofilm Concept from a Bioremediation Perspective

Abstract

The microbial bioremediation of contaminants is cost effective and reliable and a number of approaches are in widespread commercial use. Microbial bioremediation makes use of the metabolic activities of biofilm-dwelling microorganisms which are responsible for the majority of pollutant degradation in natural environments.In this book, renowned scientists from around the world provide up-to-date and authoritative reviews of the latest scientific research that has contributed to our understanding of the vital importance of microbial biofilms for the biological remediation of contaminated environments. The results of a variety of key case studies are presented to highlight the broad range of treatment approaches and applications at our disposal. In addition, the authors discuss the future trends and likely growth areas in biofilm-related research.This comprehensive volume is indispensable for anyone involved in bioremediation, biofilm research or environmental microbiology. It is also recommended as a reference work for all microbiology libraries. Chapter 1. Engineering Successful Bioremediation (Michael Harbottle) Chapter 2. The Biofilm Concept from a Bioremediation Perspective (Benjamin Horemans, Pieter Albers and Dirk Springael) Chapter 3. Biofilm Survival Strategies in Polluted Environments

Catabolic task division between two near‐isogenic subpopulations co‐existing in a herbicide‐degrading bacterial consortium: consequences for the interspecies consortium metabolic model

“…The copy number of the 16S rRNA gene of WDL1 was quantified by performing a qPCR targeting the Variovorax 16S rRNA gene as described previously (Bers et al ., ). qPCR targeting hylA was performed as described by Horemans and colleagues (,b). For all other qPCR assays the reaction mixture contained 7.5 µl of Absolute QPCR SYBRs Green mix (Thermo Scientific), 0.03 µl of both forward and reverse primer (100 µM), 5.94 µl of water and 1.5 µl of extracted biofilm DNA or cryosuspension.…”

“…Together these species form a consortium that achieves a functionality unattainable by the individual species. The mineralization of organic xenobiotics without the formation of harmful metabolites is often due to combined catabolic activities of multiple species that establish synergistic interactions within a consortium based on the exchange of metabolites (Horemans et al, 2016a). Linuron is a phenylurea herbicide that is metabolized by both bacterial consortia and individual bacterial strains.…”

Biofilm-mediated wastewater treatment: a comprehensive review

“…200 A range of insecticides and herbicides have been successfully bioremediated using biofilmmediated reactors, including 2-propionic acid, diclofop, 2,4dichlorophenoxyacetic acid, diclofop, 2-propionic acid, carben-dazim, choropropham, methomyl, diazinon, carbamate compounds, carbaryl, and carbofuran. [201][202][203]…”

Molecular processes underlying synergistic linuron mineralization in a triple‐species bacterial consortium biofilm revealed by differential transcriptomics

“…Mineralization of organic xenobiotic compounds is often performed by microbial consortia by means of metabolic association in which one organism in the consortium converts the organic xenobiotic into metabolites that are degraded by other consortium members (Horemans, Albers, & Springael, ). Further degradation of downstream metabolites can enhance the initial degradation step resulting in an overall increased efficiency of mineralization of the organic xenobiotic in which case the metabolic association between consortium members is called synergistic.…”