Visualisation of the microbial colonisation of a slow sand filter using an Environmental Scanning Electron Microscope

The removal of contaminants in slow sand filters occurs mainly in the colmation layer or schmutzdecke - a biologically active layer consisting of algae, bacteria, diatoms and zooplankton. A ripening period of 6 - 8 weeks is required for this layer to form, during which time filter performance is sub...

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Autores principales:	Devadhanam Joubert,Esther, Pillay,Balakrishna
Lenguaje:	English
Publicado:	Pontificia Universidad Católica de Valparaíso 2008
Materias:	biofilm microbial biodiversity schmutzdecke
Acceso en línea:	http://www.scielo.cl/scielo.php?script=sci_arttext&pid=S0717-34582008000200014
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spelling	oai:scielo:S0717-345820080002000142009-01-21Visualisation of the microbial colonisation of a slow sand filter using an Environmental Scanning Electron MicroscopeDevadhanam Joubert,EstherPillay,Balakrishna biofilm microbial biodiversity schmutzdecke The removal of contaminants in slow sand filters occurs mainly in the colmation layer or schmutzdecke - a biologically active layer consisting of algae, bacteria, diatoms and zooplankton. A ripening period of 6 - 8 weeks is required for this layer to form, during which time filter performance is sub-optimal. In the current study, an environmental scanning electron microscope was used to visualise the ripening process of a pilot-scale slow sand filter over a period of eight weeks. To achieve this, sand particles were removed at weekly intervals and observed for biofilm development. Biological mechanisms of removal in slow sand filtration are not fully understood. A visualisation of the colonisation process would enhance the knowledge and understanding of these mechanisms. Colonisation of sand particles and increase in biomass was clearly seen during the ripening period. The mature, ripened filter exhibited a dense extracellular matrix consisting of a wide variety of microorganisms and their extracellular and breakdown products. This research demonstrated the successful use of an environmental scanning electron microscope to visualise the complex, heterogeneous nature of the schmutzdecke in a slow sand filter. Such knowledge could possibly lead to an increase in the application of slow sand filtration, especially for rural communities.info:eu-repo/semantics/openAccessPontificia Universidad Católica de ValparaísoElectronic Journal of Biotechnology v.11 n.2 20082008-04-01text/htmlhttp://www.scielo.cl/scielo.php?script=sci_arttext&pid=S0717-34582008000200014en10.4067/S0717-34582008000200014
institution	Scielo Chile
collection	Scielo Chile
language	English
topic	biofilm microbial biodiversity schmutzdecke
spellingShingle	biofilm microbial biodiversity schmutzdecke Devadhanam Joubert,Esther Pillay,Balakrishna Visualisation of the microbial colonisation of a slow sand filter using an Environmental Scanning Electron Microscope
description	The removal of contaminants in slow sand filters occurs mainly in the colmation layer or schmutzdecke - a biologically active layer consisting of algae, bacteria, diatoms and zooplankton. A ripening period of 6 - 8 weeks is required for this layer to form, during which time filter performance is sub-optimal. In the current study, an environmental scanning electron microscope was used to visualise the ripening process of a pilot-scale slow sand filter over a period of eight weeks. To achieve this, sand particles were removed at weekly intervals and observed for biofilm development. Biological mechanisms of removal in slow sand filtration are not fully understood. A visualisation of the colonisation process would enhance the knowledge and understanding of these mechanisms. Colonisation of sand particles and increase in biomass was clearly seen during the ripening period. The mature, ripened filter exhibited a dense extracellular matrix consisting of a wide variety of microorganisms and their extracellular and breakdown products. This research demonstrated the successful use of an environmental scanning electron microscope to visualise the complex, heterogeneous nature of the schmutzdecke in a slow sand filter. Such knowledge could possibly lead to an increase in the application of slow sand filtration, especially for rural communities.
author	Devadhanam Joubert,Esther Pillay,Balakrishna
author_facet	Devadhanam Joubert,Esther Pillay,Balakrishna
author_sort	Devadhanam Joubert,Esther
title	Visualisation of the microbial colonisation of a slow sand filter using an Environmental Scanning Electron Microscope
title_short	Visualisation of the microbial colonisation of a slow sand filter using an Environmental Scanning Electron Microscope
title_full	Visualisation of the microbial colonisation of a slow sand filter using an Environmental Scanning Electron Microscope
title_fullStr	Visualisation of the microbial colonisation of a slow sand filter using an Environmental Scanning Electron Microscope
title_full_unstemmed	Visualisation of the microbial colonisation of a slow sand filter using an Environmental Scanning Electron Microscope
title_sort	visualisation of the microbial colonisation of a slow sand filter using an environmental scanning electron microscope
publisher	Pontificia Universidad Católica de Valparaíso
publishDate	2008
url	http://www.scielo.cl/scielo.php?script=sci_arttext&pid=S0717-34582008000200014
work_keys_str_mv	AT devadhanamjoubertesther visualisationofthemicrobialcolonisationofaslowsandfilterusinganenvironmentalscanningelectronmicroscope AT pillaybalakrishna visualisationofthemicrobialcolonisationofaslowsandfilterusinganenvironmentalscanningelectronmicroscope
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Visualisation of the microbial colonisation of a slow sand filter using an Environmental Scanning Electron Microscope

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