Even if you haven't heard the word "BIO-CONTAMINANTS" before, you come in contact with these substances almost every day. For example, it causes clogged drains and there are plenty of biofilm-covered rocks near rivers and lakes. It also forms on your teeth and causes periodontal diseases and tooth decay. Bacteria secrete a substance during their growth and its name is biofilm. A biofilm protects bacteria against the dangers of the outer world and creates a barrier in order to protect the little organisms inside. Some biofilms can be very hard to penetrate and dissolve.

Bio-contaminants are an invisible enemy, which can cause a variety of diseases. While it’s hard to discover with a naked eye, the consequences of biofilm growth can be unfortunate. The worse place to find a biofilm is in the kitchen. Once it forms inside your dishwasher, it can travel further to the kitchen surfaces, making its way into the human body. These bacteria formations have an easy time sticking to food-contact surfaces allowing such bacteria as E.coil and Salmonella to grow freely. Failing to disinfect the surfaces leads to serious health problems.

Bio-Contaminants can also grow on medical implants, making its way into the human body. Sometimes biofilm can cause such chronic health problems such as endocarditis, dental peristalsis, prostatitis, osteomyelitis, rhinosinusitis, and ulcers. Since some biofilm is antibiotic-resistant, dealing with the health problems caused by it can be tough.

One of the main reasons bio-contaminants cause concerns is that bacteria are stronger in this formation. As a result, biofilms are more resistant to the majority of traditional disinfectants and antibiotics that people use to get rid of them. They can take many different forms, from a thick buildup in the kitchen sink to a thin plaque on the teeth. These little organisms can cause serious damage in domestic settings as well as in industrial and medical settings by harboring bacteria and clogging equipment. 

 

OUR  HOMES ARE GROUND ZERO
BIO-CONTAMINANTS THRIVES IN MOISTURE-RICH ENVIRONMENTS
 

One of the most dangerous bacteria zones for bio-contaminants is your home. Biofilm exists everywhere there is a surface, moisture, and nutrients. Some of the most biofilm-friendly places are kitchens, dishwashers, bathrooms, washing machines, jetted bathtubs and hot tubs. Anywhere you use water in your home is a great place for the biofilm to grow. These places have a variety of surfaces, plenty of moisture, and sufficient nutrients from people and food.

Basically, all they need to grow is a surface with access to water or other aqueous solutions and favorable conditions.

 

HOW TO GET RID OF BIOFILM 
THE BEST DEFENSE IS TO KEEP BIOFILM FROM FORMING IN THE FIRST PLACE. 
 

Forming biofilm is very easy. All you have to do is use the regular kitchen appliances and take a shower or a bath. Getting rid of the bacteria is much harder. 

Biofilm is created to keep the bacteria alive. The best way to keep your home biofilm-free is not to allow the film to form. People try to fight it by using well-known remedies, such as bleach. However, by pouring chemical solutions into the pipes or drains, we only deal with free-floating bacteria, which is easy to kill. The bacteria protected by biofilm won’t be harmed by the common remedies. No matter how strong your sanitizer is, it’s unlikely to affect the biofilm formed inside your appliances.

Antimicrobial chemicals can’t penetrate the biofilm. The biofilm needs to be broken up to be removed. 

In fact, the sanitizers and chemicals you are used to, can slightly harm the top layer of the biofilm. However, it can easily heal itself while keeping the bacteria inside alive and well. The biofilm restores itself in a very short amount of time making it harder and harder to kill. Biofilm colonies can even communicate among themselves on a basic level, using chemical signals.

Water distribution systems are the weak link in your home. No matter how hard you try to keep them clean, the biofilm will develop with time. The microbial growth also called “biofouling” poses a threat to the health of your family. 

Unfortunately, no matter how hard you try to prevent biofilm from forming, it usually does anyway. That’s why it’s important to always have a biofilm-fighting agent at hand. Since you can’t reach inside the pipe to take preventive measures, watercare products like Bio Ouster can be your best defense.

 

WHAT IS THE SCIENCE BEHIND BIOFILM? 
VERY RESISTANT TO ANTIMICROBIAL CLEANERS LIKE BLEACH

A biofilm is a self-sustaining substance with microorganisms that live in an extracellular matrix on surfaces that have access to water. The biofilm protects bacteria from being removed by antimicrobial agents. In other words, biofilms can grow in any surface exposed to liquids.

Biofilms are complex structures with their own fluid systems that consist of almost 95% water. Microorganisms in the biofilm can attach to the surface of almost any object and create a slimy substance. In theory, a biofilm can be formed by only one type of microorganisms, but in fact, biofilms are often communities of different types of bacteria, yeasts, fungi, protozoa, algae, and other little organisms, along with corrosive products and debris. 

One of the interesting properties of biofilms is that it's really tough to destroy them. When they are attacked, they aren't eliminated. When you use a cleaning agent (for example, chlorine), they retain secretions that hold to the surface and become even stronger than before. That's why a biofilm problem often gets worse with time.