Biofilm formation can create corrosion problems in industrial water systems. Control of biofilms is achieved most effectively when the mechanism of formation is understood. The use of traditional microbiological analyses such as plate counts and dipslides to analyze deposits provides insufficient information about viable cell content and their role in deposit formation. The ATP assay, a newer technology is more useful but only measures total living biomass. In order to assess the potential for biofouling in cooling water systems, novel staining and monitoring techniques have been developed. Staining technology allows characterization and assessment of biofilm composition. This staining methodology is used to complement ATP analysis of field samples. Case histories are used to illustrate the benefits of this approach.

Subject
Biofouling, Water, Materials, Composition, Microscopy, Slime, Biofilms, Cooling water systems, Bacteria, Biocides, Deposit corrosion, Cooling water, Microorganisms
Keywords:
Biofilms, Fluorescent Staining, ATP (Adenosine Triphosphate) EPS (Extracelluar Polysaccharides)
© 1994 Association for Materials Protection and Performance (AMPP). All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted, in any form or by any means (electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise) without the prior written permission of AMPP. Positions and opinions advanced in this work are those of the author(s) and not necessarily those of AMPP. Responsibility for the content of the work lies solely with the author(s).
1994
Association for Materials Protection and Performance (AMPP)
You do not currently have access to this content.