Biofilms are structured communities of bacterial or fungal cells enclosed in a self-produced polymeric matrix that adheres to both inert and living surfaces. Biofilms provide a protective shield for bacteria and fungi which allows them to thrive and resist damage from many extreme environmental conditions. Biofilm-encased microbes, which are almost universally resistant to disinfectants and antibiotics.
Biofilms form when bacteria adhere to surfaces in some form of watery environment and begin to excrete a slimy, gluelike substance that can stick to all kinds of materials–metals, plastics, soil particles, medical implant materials, biological tissues. Biofilms can be formed by a single bacterial species, but biofilms more often consist of many species of bacteria, as well as fungi, algae, protozoa, debris, and corrosion products. Essentially, a biofilm may form on any surface exposed to bacteria and some amount of water