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Applied and Environmental Microbiology, January 2003, p. 177-185, Vol. 69, No. 1
0099-2240/03/$08.00+0     DOI: 10.1128/AEM.69.1.177-185.2003
Copyright © 2003, American Society for Microbiology. All Rights Reserved.

Microbial Characterization of Biofilms in Domestic Drains and the Establishment of Stable Biofilm Microcosms

Andrew J. McBain,1 Robert G. Bartolo,2 Carl E. Catrenich,2 Duane Charbonneau,2 Ruth G. Ledder,1 Alexander H. Rickard,1 Sharon A. Symmons,1 and Peter Gilbert1*

School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Manchester, Manchester M13 9PL, United Kingdom,1 Procter and Gamble, Cincinnati, Ohio2

Received 13 June 2002/ Accepted 6 October 2002

We have used heterotrophic plate counts, together with live-dead direct staining and denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis (DGGE), to characterize the eubacterial communities that had formed as biofilms within domestic sink drain outlets. Laboratory microcosms of these environments were established using excised biofilms from two separate drain biofilm samples to inoculate constant-depth film fermentors (CDFFs). Drain biofilms harbored 9.8 to 11.3 log10 cells of viable enteric species and pseudomonads/g, while CDFF-grown biofilms harbored 10.6 to 11.4 log10 cells/g. Since live-dead direct staining revealed various efficiencies of recovery by culture, samples were analyzed by DGGE, utilizing primers specific for the V2-V3 region of eubacterial 16S rDNA. These analyses showed that the major PCR amplicons from in situ material were represented in the microcosms and maintained there over extended periods. Sequencing of amplicons resolved by DGGE revealed that the biofilms were dominated by a small number of genera, which were also isolated by culture. One drain sample harbored the protozoan Colpoda maupasi, together with rhabtidid nematodes and bdelloid rotifers. The microcosm enables the maintenance of stable drain-type bacterial communities and represents a useful tool for the modeling of this ecosystem.

* Corresponding author. Mailing address: School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Manchester, Manchester M13 9PL, United Kingdom. Phone: 44 (0)161 275 2361. Fax: 44 (0)161 275 2396. E-mail: peter.gilbert{at}man.ac.uk.

Applied and Environmental Microbiology, January 2003, p. 177-185, Vol. 69, No. 1
0099-2240/03/$08.00+0     DOI: 10.1128/AEM.69.1.177-185.2003
Copyright © 2003, American Society for Microbiology. All Rights Reserved.



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