biofilm

American  

[bahy-oh-film] / ˈbaɪ oʊˌfɪlm /

noun

biofilms plural

1. Biology. a film or thin coating on solid surfaces, consisting of microorganisms and the indissoluble, viscous fluid they secrete.

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biofilm Scientific  

/ bī′ō-fĭlm′ /

1. A complex structure adhering to surfaces that are regularly in contact with water, consisting of colonies of bacteria and usually other microorganisms such as yeasts, fungi, and protozoa that secrete a mucilaginous protective coating in which they are encased. Biofilms can form on solid or liquid surfaces as well as on soft tissue in living organisms, and are typically resistant to conventional methods of disinfection. Dental plaque, the slimy coating that fouls pipes and tanks, and algal mats on bodies of water are examples of biofilms. While biofilms are generally pathogenic in the body, causing such diseases as cystic fibrosis and otitis media, they can be used beneficially in treating sewage, industrial waste, and contaminated soil.

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Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• biofilm-like
  adjective
• antibiofilm
  adjective
• biofilmed
  adjective

Inflected Forms

noun

• biofilms
  plural

Example Sentences

There is also biofilm, a layer made up of mixed microbes that can build up under the toilet rim and across surfaces.

From Science Daily • Apr. 13, 2026

This dye allowed them to assess acidity in different areas of the biofilm.

From Science Daily • Jan. 9, 2026

These bacteria are more resistant to drugs when they live in a biofilm -- microorganisms that stick together and are embedded in a protective slime.

From Science Daily • May 1, 2024

Her research is examining ways to remove the protective coat and expose the bacteria so it can be killed by the body's immune system or antibiotics that currently cannot pass through the biofilm.

From Science Daily • May 1, 2024

Understanding the lung-brain dialogue is important for treatment because bacteria that cause lung infections can produce a biofilm, a coating to surround themselves so the nervous system can't see them.

From Science Daily • Mar. 21, 2024