biofilm

American  

[bahy-oh-film] / ˈbaɪ oʊˌfɪlm /

noun

plural

biofilms

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

• antibiofilm adjective
• biofilm-like adjective
• biofilmed adjective

Example Sentences

This shift helped raise pH levels inside the biofilm.

From Science Daily • Jan. 9, 2026

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

From Science Daily • Jan. 9, 2026

This indicates the natural balance of the oral biofilm had been upset -- mutans had outcompeted the other streptococci leading to the pre-disease state.

From Science Daily • Mar. 27, 2024

Many people with CF have a biofilm bacterium in their lungs and are asymptomatic.

From Science Daily • Mar. 21, 2024

When doctors use antibiotics to treat a bacterial infection, some of the bacteria can hide within their tough-to-penetrate, slimy home called a biofilm.

From Science Daily • Mar. 5, 2024