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Confocal Microscopic Images of a Compost Particle
Author(s) -
Chalmers Jeffrey J.,
Mauras Cesar,
Vir Rahul
Publication year - 1997
Publication title -
biotechnology progress
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.572
H-Index - 129
eISSN - 1520-6033
pISSN - 8756-7938
DOI - 10.1021/bp970107z
Subject(s) - biofilm , confocal , confocal laser scanning microscopy , confocal microscopy , particle (ecology) , microscopy , fluorescence microscope , laser microscopy , particle size , confocal laser scanning microscope , materials science , chemistry , fluorescence , optical microscope , biophysics , optics , biological system , biology , scanning electron microscope , composite material , bacteria , physics , ecology , genetics
Confocal scanning laser microscopy was used to microscopically observe a partially degraded compost particle. When compared to typical epifluorescence microscopy, significant heterogeneity in the biofilm was observed. In contrast to many reports, which assumed a uniform biofilm on the surface of a particle, individual colonies could be observed which penetrated the particle for significant depths. By analyzing these confocal images with the software NIH Image, the depth of the biofilm can be clearly observed. The implications of this nonhomogeneous biofilm are discussed.