CONFOCAL MICROSCOPIC IMAGES OF A COMPOST PARTICLE

Confocal scanning laser microscopy was used to microscopically observe a partially degraded compost particle. When compared to typical epifl uorescence microscopy, significant heterogeneity in the biofilm was ob served. In contrast to many reports, which assumed a uniform biofilm o n the surface of a particle, individual colonies could be observed whi ch penetrated the particle for significant depths. By analyzing these confocal images with the software NIH Image, the depth of the biofilm can be clearly observed. The implications of this nonhomogeneous biofi lm are discussed.