b'NBIC International Biofilm Markets ReportWHAT IS THE ECONOMIC SIGNIFICANCE OF BIOFILMS?Wherever microbes either cause a problem, or create an opportunity, to humans, animals or the environment, then the communities in which they live (biofilms) have a role to play. NBIC carried out a study in 2020 to quantify the value of the markets in which biofilms are involved. We conservatively estimate this is 45bn in the UK and $4tn globally. All of these markets have a need for research and innovation, to either overcome problems or exploit opportunities, and a few examples of these are given below.Human healthThe challenges of antimicrobialWater - $117bn mostly spent ensuring there is access to resistance, wound healing and device related infectionssafe drinking water but also in using biofilms as part of are all major contributors to the $387bn impact onwastewater and sewage treatment; health;Bioenergy - $5.3bn of energy from landfills and Personal care - $91bn of this sector is associated withanaerobic digestion plants that use biofilms to biofilm control; decompose putrescible material;Oral care - $48.9bn of mainly human but also someMarine - $34.2bn mostly the cost and losses associated animal oral care is linked to biofilm reduction; with the fouling of the hulls of ships and marine structures, but also in the contribution to aquaculture;Home care - $161bn is spent managing the domestic environment including eliminating biofilms; Corrosion - $2,720bn linked to the pervasive issue of microbially influenced corrosion.Built environment - $48.6bn to ensure that institutions are clean and hygienic;Food and agriculture - $324bn to manage biofilms from agriculture to the consumer (from farm to fork);Our study has shown that although biofilms are diverse in their impacts on humans, animals and the environment, there are scientific and technological challenges that are common to many sectors as described in the NBIC interventional themes of Prevention, Detection, Management and Engineering. These common challenges underpin the need for the research and innovation occurring across all these sectors to be well connected as a community via NBIC so that early breakthroughs can be exploited and solutions form one sector considered in other fields. We exist to match solutions and needs in an effective and efficient manner. This is critical in order to achieve economic and societal benefits as well as developing the scientists and technologists to understand and solve both problems and the opportunities.We created eight infographics to reflect the results of this study, and to show the huge impact that biofilms have on our global economy. You can download the infographics from the International Biofilm Markets page on our website.20'