Biofouling is a persistent problem in almost any water-based application in several industries. To eradicate biofouling-related problems in bioreactors, the detection of biofilms is necessary. The current literature does not provide clear supportive information on selecting biofilm detection techniques that can be applied to detect biofouling within bioreactors. Therefore, this research aims to review all available biofilm detection techniques and analyze their characteristic properties to provide a comparative assessment that researchers can use to find a suitable biofilm detection technique to investigate their biofilms. In addition, it discusses the confluence of common bioreactor fabrication materials in biofilm formation.
Keywords: adhesion; biofilm; bioreactors; detection techniques; materials.