Evaluation of the Biofilm Forming Capacities of Bacterial Isolates Recovered in Raw and Treated Effluent from Wastewater Treatment Plant of Ahmadu Bello University Zaria, Nigeria

Abstract

Biofilm producing bacteria are associated with many recalcitrant infections and are highly resistant to antimicrobial agents, hence notoriously difficult to eradicate. This study aimed at determining the biofilm forming capacities of bacterial isolates recovered in the raw wastewater and treated effluent from Wastewater Treatment Plants of Ahmadu Bello University Zaria using Tube Method (TM) and Congo Red Agar (CRA) method; and from the results, among the isolates recovered from the raw wastewater, TM detected 62.5% isolates as positive and 37.5% as negative for biofilm production, CRA detected 37.5% isolates as positive and 62.5% as negative for biofilm production. TM also demonstrated to be more suitable in detecting biofilm producing bacterial isolates from the treated effluent were it detected 50% isolates as positive and 50% as negative. However, CRA detected only 12.5% isolates as positive and 87.5% as negative for biofilm production. We therefore, conclude that the TM is more efficient and reliable for detection of biofilm producing bacteria in the laboratory when compared to CRA method and can be recommended as one of the suitable standard screening method for the detection of biofilm producing bacteria in laboratories.

Keywords: Biofilm; Bacteria; Congo red agar and Tube method