BACTERIAL ADHERENCE ON POLYMERIC MATRICES FOR FIXED OR FLUIDIZED BED REACTOR DEVELOPMENT

M. ALEJANDRA DANIEL1, M. GUILLERMINA CASABONA2, DELIA BERNIK2 Y DIANA L. VULLO1

San Martín de los Andes

Congreso; 18th International Biohydrometallurgy Symposium - IBS 2009; 2009

Biofilms are commonly referred as populations of surface-attached microorganisms comprising either single or multiple species. In most natural, clinical and industrial settings, bacteria are found predominantly in biofilms and not as planktonic cells such as those typical studied in the laboratory. Biofilms-mediated biotreatments present a proficient and safer alternative because cells have a better chance of adaptation and survival as they are protected within the matrix. Metal bioremediation can be achieved by immobilization, concentration and partitioning to an environmental compartment, so extracellular materials (i.e. EPS) in biofilms play an important role in the entrapment of metal ions in conjunction with bacterial metal accumulation or biosorption mechanisms