Publisher's Synopsis
The consequences, both beneficial and deleterious, of the associations between microbes and surfaces have long been recognised. Though the first detailed description of microbial attachment to surfaces appeared exactly fifty years ago, the term ′biofilm′ did not make its appearance in the literature until the late 1970s. The almost universal association between microorganisms and surfaces is now widely accepted – and the presence of a biofilm can have profound effects on on health, water–dependent industrial processes, energy efficiency and water quality. In fact, it has been estimated that, in the UK, the cost of biofouling represents 0.5% of the Gross National Product. This volume contains 19 papers reflecting the state–of–the–art in microbial biofilm research.
