Definition
Detachment refers to the release and transport of microbial cells and their associated extracellular polymeric substances from an attached microbial biofilm to the fluid compartment bathing the film (Stewart, 1993).
Together with microbial attachment and growth, detachment is a primary process that balances biofilm accumulation and activity. Detachment processes control the (re-)dispersal of cells from biofilms into the planktonic community and hence are crucial for bacterial expansion and the exploration and colonization of new niches (Toutain et al., 2004). Bryers (1988) distinguished several categories of detachment processes: (i) Erosion is a more or less continuous removal of individual cells or small groups of cells resulting from the moving fluid in contact with the surface of the biofilm, whereas (ii) abrasion is caused by the collision of particles. (iii) Sloughingrefers to the release of relatively large particles of biomass, whose size is comparable to or...
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Access this chapter
Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout
Purchases are for personal use only
Bibliography
Bryers, J. D., 1988. Modeling biofilm accumulation. In Bazin, M. J., and Prosser, J. I. (eds.), Physiological Models in Microbiology. Boca Raton, FL: CRC Press, Vol. 2, pp. 109–144.
Hunt, S. M., Werner, E. M., Huang, B., Hamilton, M. A., Stewart, P. S., 2004. Hypothesis for the role of nutrient starvation in biofilm detachment. Applied and Environmental Microbiology, 70, 7418–7425.
Stewart, P. S., 1993. A model of biofilm detachment. Biotechnology and Bioengineering, 41, 111–117.
Toutain, C. M., Caiazza, N. C., O’Toole, G. A., 2004. Molecular basis of biofilm development by Pseudomonads. In Ghannoum, M., and O’Toole, G. A. (eds.), Microbial Biofilms. Washington, DC: ASM, pp. 43–63.
Waters, C. M., and Bassler, B. L., 2005. Quorum sensing: cell-to-cell communication in bacteria. Annual Reviews of Cell and Developmental Biology, 21, 319–346.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Editor information
Editors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
Copyright information
© 2011 Springer Science+Business Media B.V.
About this entry
Cite this entry
Reitner, J., Thiel, V. (2011). Detachment. In: Reitner, J., Thiel, V. (eds) Encyclopedia of Geobiology. Encyclopedia of Earth Sciences Series. Springer, Dordrecht. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4020-9212-1_72
Download citation
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4020-9212-1_72
Publisher Name: Springer, Dordrecht
Print ISBN: 978-1-4020-9211-4
Online ISBN: 978-1-4020-9212-1
eBook Packages: Earth and Environmental ScienceReference Module Physical and Materials ScienceReference Module Earth and Environmental Sciences