Imaging Microbial Biofilms in Opaque Three-dimensional Porous Media: Opportunities and Limitations (Invited)

Microbial biofilms are observed in both natural and engineered subsurface environments and can dramatically alter the physical properties of porous media. Current understanding of biofilm formation and the associated impacts to structural and hydrodynamic properties of porous media are limited by our ability to observe changes to pore morphology non-destructively. Imaging biofilm within opaque porous media has historically presented a significant challenge. X-ray computed microtomography has traditionally been used for non-destructive imaging of a variety of processes and phenomena in porous media, yet, the conventional contrast agents used in tomography research tend to diffuse quite readily into both the aqueous phase as well as the porous media-associated biofilm, thereby preventing delineation of the two phases. A couple of new methods for imaging biofilm within opaque porous media using x-ray microtomography have been developed in recent years, and this presentation will discuss advantages and limitations to using polychromatic vs. monochromatic (synchrotron) radiation, as well as different types, and various concentrations of, contrast agents.