Center for Biofilm Engineering

News Update: 

December, 2004

Volume 7, Issue 10

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Research Highlights

Paper Spotlight

Substances overlooked by traditional test methods can contribute to biofilm regrowth

Heterotrophic biofilm bacteria require organic carbon in order to metabolize and grow. Biodegradable Organic Carbon (BDOC) and Assimilable Organic Carbon (AOC) tests are used to measure the organic carbon concentration in water distribution systems. However, these tests may underestimate the amount of carbon made available from humic substances. Humic substances are organic molecules formed during the microbial degradation of organic matter and can act as the sole carbon and energy source for biofilm bacteria. Over the past several years, using model distribution systems, a series of experiments conducted at the CBE has addressed the potential interaction between the organic carbon concentration with the presence of disinfectants and pipe materials in water distribution systems, as well as the limitations of the BDOC and AOC tests. The results revealed that as the concentration of humic substances increased, there was an increase in biofilm numbers on every surface used in the experiments, especially on corroding iron surfaces. These results demonstrate that the BDOC and AOC tests may greatly underestimate the amount of carbon available for biofilm growth. A better understanding of all organic carbon contributors in distribution systems is needed for (1) improved design of treatment systems and (2) better monitoring methods to predict when a system may be at risk for increased regrowth.

Involvement of Humic Substances in Regrowth
A. K. Camper
International Journal of Food Microbiology 2004; 92:355–364

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International Collaboration

Patrizia Russo visited the CBE November 4–5 to collaborate with Betsey Pitts, Benjamin Klayman and Patrick Norris from the CBE. Patrizia is part of a research group at La Sapienza University in Rome, Italy, that includes Marco Artini and Laura Selan. She was at the CBE to learn about confocal and epifluorescence microscopy, primarily as it applies to studying the colonization of contact lenses by gfp-strains of various bacterial species.

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Director Candidates Announced

Two candidates for the Center for Biofilm Engineering Director position have accepted invitations to travel to Bozeman for on-campus interviews in January. Brenda Little, Senior Scientist for Marine Molecular Processes at the Naval Research Laboratory, Stennis Space Center, MI, will be interviewing January 13–14. Staffan Kjelleberg, Professor of Microbiology and Director of the Centre for Marine Biofouling and Bio-Innovation at the University of New South Wales, Sydney, Australia, will most likely be interviewing the following week, January 20–21.

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Introducing Dr. Taimur Khan

Dr. Taimur Khan from Khulna, Bangladesh, has been hired as an Assistant Research Professor beginning in December. Taimur has a Ph.D. in Philosophy of Environmental Engineering from the University of Tokyo, Japan. He will be working with Dr. Anne Camper, conducting research on biofilms and their control in drinking water treatment and distribution systems, testing innovative immobilized biocide strategies against drinking water biofilms for a project with Kodak, and supervising and mentoring graduate and undergraduate students.

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Recent CBE Publications

Anomalous Fluid Transport in Porous Media Induced by Biofilm Growth
J. D. Seymour, J. P. Gage, S. L. Codd and R. Gerlach
Physical Review Letters 2004; 93:198103

Hypothesis for the Role of Nutrient Starvation in Biofilm Detachment
S. M. Hunt, E. M. Werner, B. Huang, M. A. Hamilton and P. S. Stewart
Applied and Environmental Microbiology 2004; 70(12):7418–7425

Three-Dimensional Biofilm Structure Quantification
H. Beyenal, C. Donovan, Z. Lewandowski and G. Harkin
Journal of Microbiological Methods 2004; 59:395–413

Biofilm Antimicrobial Resistance
P. S. Stewart, P. K. Mukherjee and M. A. Ghannoum
Microbial Biofilms 2004; 250–268

A Short History of the Development of the Biofilm Concept
J.W. Costerton
Microbial Biofilms 2004; 4–17

Biofilm Structure, Behavior and Hydrodynamics
L. B. Purevdorj-Gage and P. Stoodley
Microbial Biofilms 2004; 160–173

Reproducibility of Biofilm Processes and the Meaning of Steady State in Biofilm Reactors
Z. Lewandowski, H. Beyenal and D. Stookey
Water Science and Technology 2004; 49(11):359–364

Stratified Growth in Pseudomonas aeruginosa Biofilms
E. Werner, F. Roe, A. Bugnicourt, M. J. Franklin, A. Heydorn, S. Molin, B. Pitts and P. S. Stewart
Applied and Environmental Microbiology 2004; 70(10):6188–6196

Polymer Designs to Control Biofilm Growth on Medical Devices
I. Francolini, G. Donelli and P. Stoodley
Reviews in Environmental Science and Bio/Techology 2004; 2:307–319

Bacterial Colonization of Implanted Devices
W. P. Reed Jr. and R. Veeh
Hernia Infections 2003; 259–272

To read these paper abstracts or to order paper copies see:
http://www.erc.montana.edu/Res-Lib99-SW/pubs/Database/PD_DisplayScript.asp

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Outreach

Community Outreach

More than 20 owners and senior members of local businesses toured the CBE on November 10, 2004 as part of an ongoing internship program with the Bozeman Chamber of Commerce.

Phil Stewart spoke to 5th graders at Longfellow Elementary School in Bozeman about microbes in a presentation called “Illustrated Wonders of the Microbial World."

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Education

Theses Alert

Thesis abstracts can be found on the CBE website and copies can be ordered from there as well. To view the thesis abstracts see: http://www.erc.montana.edu/Res-Lib99-SW/pubs/Theses/Database/TD_DisplayScript.asp

Influence of Quorum Sensing and Hydrodynamics on Pseudomonas aeruginosa Biofilm Structure and Behavior, Thesis Defense by Laura Purevdorj-Gage, Ph.D. candidate in Microbiology, Montana State University, November 2004.

Ultrasonically Controlled Antibiotic Release from Hydrogel Coatings for Biofilm Prevention, Thesis Defense by Patrick Michael Norris, M.S. candidate in Mechanical Engineering, Montana State University, November 2004.

Control of Acid Rock Drainage from Mine Tailings Through the Addition of Dissolved Organic Carbon, Thesis Defense by Paul Sturman, Ph.D. candidate in Civil Engineering, Montana State University, November 2004.

A Microbial Fuel Cell Using Biomineralization of Manganese as a Cathodic Reactant, Thesis Defense by Allison N. Rhoads, M.S. candidate in Environmental Engineering, Montana State University, December 2004.

Kinetics and Community Profiling of Sulfate-Reducing Bacteria in Treated Mine Tailings, Thesis Defense by Mark McBroom, M.S. candidate in Environmental Engineering, Montana State University, December 2004.

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CBE People in Action

Anne Camper was named to the Water Science and Technology Board Committee on Public Water Supply Distribution Systems: Assessing and Reducing Risks, organized by the National Research Council of the National Academies of Science and Engineering. The committee’s duties over the next two years will be to investigate issues associated with public health risks that may be associated with drinking water distribution systems.

Anne Camper, as invited speaker, presented “Pathogenic Bacteria in Distribution Systems,” University of Aalborg, Aalborg, Denmark, November 11, 2004. Anne was also a member of the dissertation committee for Birthe Kjellerup, Ph.D. candidate at the University of Aalborg the following day.

Phil Stewart presented "Penetration of Disinfectants into Biofilm," American Water Works Association Water Quality Technology Conference, San Antonio, TX, November 14, 2004

Anne Camper, as invited speaker, presented “Suspended versus Fixed Biomass: Effect of Disinfectants,” American Water Works Association Water Quality Technology Conference, San Antonio, TX, November 14, 2004

Bill Costerton was invited by NSF members Court Lewis and Lynn Preston to present “Strategies for Survival After Graduation” as part of a Graduation Planning Workshop at the ERC 2004 Annual Meeting. Washington, D.C., November 17, 2004

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CBE Alumni in Action

Dr. Robert Sharp was awarded the Donald J. Endowed Faculty Fellowship for Environmental Engineering at Manhattan College, NY. The award covers a three year period and includes research money, travel money, student support, and a reduction in teaching load. Donald J. O'Connor was a member of the National Academy of Engineering (NAE) and was one of the most prestigious faculty from the Manhattan College, School of Engineering. The Award was set up and funded by his colleagues, his students and numerous environmental engineering firms. Congratulations Rob!

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Biofilm Education Resources

Upcoming CBE Workshops

“Biofilm Structure Quantification and Image Analysis,” sponsored by the CBE Structure-Function Research Group, Center for Biofilm Engineering, Montana State University, July 21–22, 2005

“Microsensors: Manufacture and Applications,” sponsored by the CBE Structure-Function Research Group, Center for Biofilm Engineering, Montana State University, August 8–12, 2005

“Bioelectrochemistry: Microbially Influenced Corrision and Microbial Fuel Cells,” sponsored by the CBE Structure-Function Research Group, Center for Biofilm Engineering, Montana State University, August 24–27, 2005

For more information on the workshops go to http://www.erc.montana.edu/CBEssentials-SW/research/workshops/default.htm
 

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Web Watch

BiofilmsOnline.com

See the BiofilmsOnline.com December issue at http://www.BiofilmsOnline.com.

Subscribe to the bi-weekly newsletter by registering at: http://www.biofilmsonline.com/cgi-bin/biofilmsonline/newsletter_signup.html

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The CBE News Update is a listserve newsletter. If you wish to subscribe or unsubscribe from the listserve, follow the directions at the following CBE website.

http://www.erc.montana.edu/Res-Lib99-SW/newsarchives/subscribe.htm

An alternative to subscribing to the listserve is to view the CBE News Update on our web page at http://www.erc.montana.edu/Ind-Col99-SW/Current_Newsletter/default.htm. Newsletter archives can be found at http://www.erc.montana.edu/Res-Lib99-SW/newsarchives/index.htm.

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