WHAT IS BIOFILM?

May 17, 2019

    Biofilms are complex communities of bacteria, fungi, and algae bound together in a sticky gel of polysaccharide and other organic contaminants firmly attached to hydrated surfaces. In other words, biofilm is slime. Waterlines over time with low or no disinfectant residual level in water form biofilms even if the water supplies are clean.

Biofilms harbor harmful microorganisms such as:

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• Campylobacter

• Listeria

• Salmonella

• E. Coli

• Pseudomonas

• Staphylococcus

     Biofilms not only deteriorate the water quality by intermittent shedding of microbes in drinking water supplied (poses greater health risk to chicks and immune compromised birds) but also clog the drinker lines limiting water availability to birds and livestock. Over time, it corrodes the pipe material as well.

     Practicing regular water sanitation and line cleaning between flocks can solve much of the microbial problem in water including biofilm buildup in water systems. With the WOLF Water Sanitation Solution system we believe the most valuable chemistry option for continuous water disinfection is Chlorine Dioxide. Chlorine dioxide has been proven effective against bacteria, viruses, fungi, protozoa, yeasts, and other pathogens, and has demonstrated its effectiveness in its ability to penetrate the biofilm layer that builds up on the inside of the pipes.