Optical and spectroscopic methods for biofilm examination and monitoring

Optical and spectroscopic methods for biofilmexamination and monitoring are reviewed.Biofilm examination techniques includemicroscopic methods, coupled with imageanalysis and with oligonucleotide ribosomal RNAprobing methods (fluorescence in situhybridization). Microscopic examinationtechniques are especially advantageous inextracting biofilm structural and architecturalparameters, as well as structure-functionrelationships of the biofilm microbialpopulation. Spectroscopic techniques are ableto elicit biofilm chemical and metabolicpatterns, as well as biofilm activity. They areof outstanding importance for on-line,non-invasive biofilm monitoring, especiallywhen coupled with chemometric algorithms forspectra calibration and pattern recognition.The paper emphasises the importance of thecombination of novel and established analyticaltechniques, as well as their integration withpowerful computational methods for theautomation of biofilm monitoring.