Biological characteristics of biofilms formed on different substrata in a shallow lake in Haihe basin (China).

Natural biofilms were simultaneously grown on glass, plexi-glass, glass fiber and activated carbon fiber for 60 days in a shallow Lake in Haihe basin. Biofilm production and abundance of algae were influenced by the substratum. Magnitude of the substratum effect was glass < plexi-glass < glass fiber < activated carbon fiber. The bacteria communities in biofilms of nature substrata were similar with the biofilms on plexi-glass and glass fiber after 60-day growing, as well as the ones on activated carbon fiber after 14-day growing. On basis of algological and bacteriological investigations, as well as literature data, the activated carbon fiber substratum is recommended for biomonitoring the lake in Haihe basin.