text: Afterwards, as biofilm becomes established, EPS provides physical stability and resistance to mechanical removal, antimicrobials, and host immunity. Exopolysaccharides and environmental DNA  (eDNA) contribute to viscoelasticity of mature biofilms so that detachment of biofilm from the substratum will be challenging even under sustained fluid shear stress or high mechanical pressure. In addition to mechanical resistance, EPS also promotes protection against antimicrobials and enhanced drug tolerance. Antimicrobials cannot diffuse through the EPS barrier, resulting in limited drug access into the deeper layers of the biofilm. Moreover, positively charged agents will bind to negatively charged EPS contributing to the antimicrobial tolerance of biofilms, and enabling inactivation or degradation of antimicrobials by enzymes present in biofilm matrix. EPS also functions as local nutrient reservoir of various biomolecules, such as fermentable polysaccharides. A study on V. cholerae in 2017 suggested that due to osmotic pressure differences in V. cholerae biofilms, the microbial colonies physically swell, therefore maximizing their contact with nutritious surfaces and thus, nutrient uptake.