An IoT Solution for the Monitoring of Microbial Fouling in Water Systems

Planktonic or free-living microbes naturally adhere to the sensing surface of the BioTrac system. These biofilms are representative of the physical biofouling that occurs on surfaces in the test environment. The microbes produce carbon dioxide (CO₂) as a byproduct of metabolic activity. The rate of CO₂ production increases as more of the surface is colonised by the microbial biofilm.

The BioTrac system exploits this normal microbial respiration; biofilms on the permeable membrane produce CO₂ that diffuses across the membrane into the annular space from where it is collected by a sweeper gas for real-time detection by a sensor.

The metabolic activity of microbes responds rapidly to changes in the environment, including excess nutrients and the presence of antimicrobial compounds. The BioTrac system monitors CO₂ concentrations as a direct indicator of changes in the active biofouling in the test system. This metric is monitored continuously and in real time.