Theoretical and practical significance of bacteria at interfaces - Invitational ONR lecture (Reprinted from Developments in Industrial Microbiology, vol 20, pg 1-7, 1979)

Solid-liquid, gas-liquid, and liquid-liquid interfaces represent sites of potential nutrient accumulation in nutrient-deficient habitats and, consequently, they exert a marked influence on microbial distribution, metabolism, growth, and succession in such habitats. Aspects of the behavior of different bacteria at surfaces can be anticipated following investigations on the physiological and colloidal properties of the bacteria, the nature and extent of the interfaces involved, and the degree of modification to the interfaces resulting from adsorption to the interfaces of conditioning films. With this knowledge, a greater insight is possible for the definition, understanding, and solution of many practical microbiological problems.