Biofilm Localization in the Vertical Wall of Shaking 96-Well Plates

Table 2

Advantages and limitations of scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and confocal laser scanning microscopy (CLSM) on biofilm analysis.

Technique	Advantages	Limitations	References
Scanning electron microscopy	High resolution; Wide range of magnifications; Good comparative information; Ability to image complex shapes	Not real time; Requires additional sample preparation; Limited quantification	[45–49]
Confocal laser scanning microscopy	Living, fully hydrated samples; Non-invasive; Quantitative evaluation; Reflection and fluorescence mode	Low resolution; Narrow range of magnifications; Not applicable to thick biofilms	[35, 47, 50–52]