Biofouling detection and mitigation were studied using electrical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) in a filtration system with gold-coated membranes. The researchers found that EIS was more sensitive in detecting biofouling early on compared to monitoring permeate flux. By applying an intermittent cathodic potential or cross-flow flushing, they were able to delay biofilm growth on the electrically conductive membranes. The study showed that the membranes could both detect biofouling development and prevent surface fouling effectively.