1. Non-invasive detection of thin biofilm
Ramprasad Karanam Marcia Silva
Water Technology Accelerator (WaTA), University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee

2. What is Biofilm?
Salmonella, Escherichia. coli (E. coli), and Shigella can enter the body through drinking water
Bacteria can collect on the walls of pipes to form a film
Waterborne diseases account for over 450,000 medical emergencies and about 7,000 deaths in 2017

3. Non-Invasive System
Early detection of biofilm in water pipes could allow for countermeasures to be taken during early stages of the biofilm growth
Alternative solutions include invasively sampling the contents of the pipe
Non-Invasive system could cut down on costs and make detection more efficient

4. Approach Grow E. coli in a container
Incubate the samples to facilitate the growth of the biofilm in the container
The record measured output daily
Dissolve predetermined amounts of PolyHEMA in 2 mL of 95% Ethanol
allow it to solidify
Record the measured output for different concentrations

5. Results and Discussion
The Phase Shift response to the growth of E. coli
The Voltage response to different thicknesses of PolyHEMA
The Voltage response to the growth of E. coli

6. Conclusions
The voltage response of the black box system correlates to the growth of E. coli over time.
The voltage response of the black box system to the PolyHEMA thickness is similar to its response to E. coli growth over time.
The phase shift response of the black box system has also been found to have a correlation to the E. coli growth.

7. References
Singh, Kaushik, and Mukherjee. "Revelations of an Overt Water Contamination." Medical Journal Armed Forces India 73.3 (2017): Web.
Donlan RM. Biofilms: microbial life on surfaces. Emerg Infect Dis. 2002;8(9):
“Current Waterborne Disease Burden Data & Gaps | Healthy Water | CDC.” Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 9 Aug. 2017,