Extracellular polymeric substances (EPS)
Definition
The sticky, gel-like external scaffold that microbes secrete to grip surfaces and bind their community together within a biofilm.
EPS is not a cell wall but an external matrix that concentrates nutrients, binds metals, buffers pH, and slows the diffusion of oxidants and biocides. The outer layers absorb a chemical assault before it reaches organisms deeper in the structure, which is why biofilms are a barrier to access rather than a passive coating. It is reactive infrastructure that consumes oxidants before lethal concentrations reach the inner community.
Related concepts
Oxidizing biocides · Attachment · Quorum sensing · Planktonic cells · Microbiological Growth
How it connects
Part of The Blueprint of Water · 🦠 biology