NaN3 efficiency on planktonic and sessile microorganisms depends on concentration and resource availability. Under natural resource conditions 50 mM NaN3 inhibits microbial growth and activity. Under enhanced resource condition 5 mM NaN3 only reduced microbial growth and activity. Under enhanced resource condition 50 mM NaN3 inhibited the growth of sessile bacteria for 11 days. Faint planktonic growth persisted with enhanced resource conditions and 50 mM NaN3.