Imaging biofilm architecture within porous media using synchrotron-based X-ray computed microtomography

[1] A new method to resolve biofilms in three dimensions in porous media using high-resolution synchrotron-based X-ray computed microtomography (CMT) has been developed. Imaging biofilms in porous media without disturbing the natural spatial arrangement of the porous medium and associated biofilm has been a challenging task, primarily because porous media generally preclude conventional imaging via optical microscopy; X-ray tomography offers a potential alternative. Using silver-coated microspheres for contrast, we were able to differentiate between the biomass and fluid-filled pore spaces. The method was validated using a two-dimensional micromodel flow cell where both light microscopy and CMT imaging were used to image the biofilm.