Microbial community stratification in Membrane-Aerated Biofilm Reactors for Completely Autotrophic Nitrogen Removal

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Pellicer i Nàcher, Carles; Ruscalleda, Maël; Terada, Akihiko

of bacterial granules or biofilms. In this sense, completely autotrophic nitrogen removal from high ammonium strength wastewater was achieved in a Membrane-Aereated Biofilm Reactor (MABR) in a single step. Here, a biofilm containing nitrifiers (Aerobic Ammonium and Nitrite Oxidizing Bacteria, AOB and NOB......, respectively) and Anaerobic Ammonium Oxidizing Bacteria (AnAOB) is grown on bubbleless aeration membranes to remove ammonium. Since oxygen permeates through the membrane-biofilm interface while ammonium diffuses into the biofilm from the biofilm-liquid interface, oxygen gradients can be established across...... the biofilm, allowing nitrogen removal in a single reactor by simultaneous activity of the mentioned biocatalysts. This work consists on the analysis of the microbial community existing in two laboratory-scale reactors operated for more than 300 days, which removed up to 5.5 g-N/m2/day. The system contained...

Microbial activity catalyzes oxygen transfer in membrane-aerated nitritating biofilm reactors

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Pellicer i Nàcher, Carles; Domingo Felez, Carlos; Lackner, Susanne

2013-01-01

The remarkable oxygen transfer efficiencies attainable in membrane-aerated biofilm reactors (MABRs) are expected to favor their prompt industrial implementation. However, tests in clean water, currently used for the estimation of their oxygen transfer potential, lead to wrong estimates once biofilm...... is present, significantly complicating reactor modelling and control. This study shows for the first time the factors affecting oxygen mass transfer across membranes during clean water tests and reactor operation via undisturbed microelectrode inspection and bulk measurements. The mass transfer resistance...... of the liquid boundary layer developed at the membrane-liquid interface during clean water tests accounted for two thirds of the total mass transfer resistance, suggesting a strong underestimation of the oxygen transfer rates when it is absent (e.g. after biofilm growth). Reactor operation to attain partial...

Sludge granulation in an UASB-moving bed biofilm hybrid reactor for efficient organic matter removal and nitrogen removal in biofilm reactor.

Science.gov (United States)

Chatterjee, Pritha; Ghangrekar, M M; Rao, Surampalli

2018-02-01

A hybrid upflow anaerobic sludge blanket (UASB)-moving bed biofilm (MBB) and rope bed biofilm (RBB) reactor was designed for treatment of sewage. Possibility of enhancing granulation in an UASB reactor using moving media to improve sludge retention was explored while treating low-strength wastewater. The presence of moving media in the top portion of the UASB reactor allowed a high solid retention time even at very short hydraulic retention times and helped in maintaining selection pressure in the sludge bed to promote formation of different sized sludge granules with an average settling velocity of 67 m/h. These granules were also found to contain plenty of extracellular polymeric substance (EPS) such as 58 mg of polysaccharides (PS) per gram of volatile suspended solids (VSS) and protein (PN) content of 37 mg/g VSS. Enriched sludge of nitrogen-removing bacteria forming a porous biofilm on the media in RBB was also observed in a concentration of around 894 g/m 2 . The nitrogen removing sludge also had a high EPS content of around 22 mg PS/g VSS and 28 mg PN/g VSS. This hybrid UASB-MBB-RBB reactor with enhanced anaerobic granular sludge treating both carbonaceous and nitrogenous matter may be a sustainable solution for decentralized sewage treatment.

Microbiology and performance of a methanogenic biofilm reactor during the start-up period.

Science.gov (United States)

Cresson, R; Dabert, P; Bernet, N

2009-03-01

To understand the interactions between anaerobic biofilm development and process performances during the start-up period of methanogenic biofilm reactor. Two methanogenic inverse turbulent bed reactors have been started and monitored for 81 days. Biofilm development (adhesion, growth, population dynamic) and characteristics (biodiversity, structure) were investigated using molecular tools (PCR-SSCP, FISH-CSLM). Identification of the dominant populations, in relation to process performances and to the present knowledge of their metabolic activities, was used to propose a global scheme of the degradation routes involved. The inoculum, which determines the microbial species present in the biofilm influences bioreactor performances during the start-up period. FISH observations revealed a homogeneous distribution of the Archaea and bacterial populations inside the biofilm. This study points out the link between biodiversity, functional stability and methanogenic process performances during start-up of anaerobic biofilm reactor. It shows that inoculum and substrate composition greatly influence biodiversity, physiology and structure of the biofilm. The combination of molecular techniques associated to a biochemical engineering approach is useful to get relevant information on the microbiology of a methanogenic growing biofilm, in relation with the start-up of the process.

A novel approach for harnessing biofilm communities in moving bed biofilm reactors for industrial wastewater treatment

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Joe A. Lemire

2015-10-01

Full Text Available Moving bed biofilm reactors (MBBRs are an effective biotechnology for treating industrial wastewater. Biomass retention on moving bed biofilm reactor (MBBR carriers (biofilm support materials, allows for the ease-of-operation and high treatment capacity of MBBR systems. Optimization of MBBR systems has largely focused on aspects of carrier design, while little attention has been paid to enhancing strategies for harnessing microbial biomass. Previously, our research group demonstrated that mixed-species biofilms can be harvested from an industrial wastewater inoculum [oil sands process water (OSPW] using the Calgary Biofilm Device (CBD. Moreover, the resultant biofilm communities had the capacity to degrade organic toxins (naphthenic acids—NAs that are found in OSPW. Therefore, we hypothesized that harnessing microbial communities from industrial wastewater, as biofilms, on MBBR carriers may be an effective method to bioremediate industrial wastewater.Here, we detail our methodology adapting the workflow employed for using the CBD, to generate inoculant carriers to seed an MBBR.In this study, OSPW-derived biofilm communities were successfully grown, and their efficacy evaluated, on commercially available MBBR carriers affixed within a modified CBD system. The resultant biofilms demonstrated the capacity to transfer biomass to recipient carriers within a scaled MBBR. Moreover, MBBR systems inoculated in this manner were fully active 2 days post-inoculation, and readily degraded a select population of NAs. Together, these findings suggest that harnessing microbial communities on carriers affixed within a modified CBD system may represent a facile and rapid method for obtaining functional inoculants for use in wastewater MBBR treatment systems.

Experimental model of biofilm implant-related osteomyelitis to test combination biomaterials using biofilms as initial inocula.

Science.gov (United States)

Williams, Dustin L; Haymond, Bryan S; Woodbury, Kassie L; Beck, J Peter; Moore, David E; Epperson, R Tyler; Bloebaum, Roy D

2012-07-01

Currently, the majority of animal models that are used to study biofilm-related infections use planktonic bacterial cells as initial inocula to produce positive signals of infection in biomaterials studies. However, the use of planktonic cells has potentially led to inconsistent results in infection outcomes. In this study, well-established biofilms of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus were grown and used as initial inocula in an animal model of a Type IIIB open fracture. The goal of the work was to establish, for the first time, a repeatable model of biofilm implant-related osteomyelitis, wherein biofilms were used as initial inocula to test combination biomaterials. Results showed that 100% of animals that were treated with biofilms developed osteomyelitis, whereas 0% of animals not treated with biofilm developed infection. The development of this experimental model may lead to an important shift in biofilm and biomaterials research by showing that when biofilms are used as initial inocula, they may provide additional insights into how biofilm-related infections in the clinic develop and how they can be treated with combination biomaterials to eradicate and/or prevent biofilm formation. Copyright © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

DEGRADATION OF AROMATIC COMPOUNDS USING MOVING BED BIOFILM REACTORS

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

B. Ayati, H. Ganjidoust, M. Mir Fattah

2007-04-01

Full Text Available For biological treatment of water, there are many different biofilm systems in use. Examples of them are trickling filters, rotating biological contactors, fixed media submerged biofilters, granular media biofilters and fluidized bed reactors. They all have their advantages and disadvantages. Hence, the Moving Bed Biofilm Reactor process was developed in Norway in the late 1980s and early 1990s to adopt the best features of the activated sludge process as well as those of the biofilter processes, without including the worst. Two cylindrical moving bed biofilm reactors were used in this study working in upflow stream conditions. Experiments have been done in aerobic batch flow regime. Laboratory experiments were conducted at room temperature (23–28C and synthetic wastewater comprising a composition of phenol and hydroquinone in each reactor as the main organic constituents, plus balanced nutrients and alkalinity were used to feed the reactor. The ratio of influent to effluent COD was determined at different retention times. The results indicated that the removal efficiency of each selected compound is affected by the detention time. At low phenol and hydroquinone concentration (from 700 to 1000 mg/L maximum removal efficiency (over 80 % was obtained. By further increasing in COD loading rate up to 3000 mg/L, a decrease in COD removal rate was occurred. In the reactor containing pyrogallol in COD of 1500 mg/L, the removal rate decreased to 10 percent because of its toxicity for microorganisms.

Establishing a laboratory model of dental unit waterlines bacterial biofilms using a CDC biofilm reactor.

Science.gov (United States)

Yoon, Hye Young; Lee, Si Young

2017-11-01

In this study, a laboratory model to reproduce dental unit waterline (DUWL) biofilms was developed using a CDC biofilm reactor (CBR). Bacteria obtained from DUWLs were filtered and cultured in Reasoner's 2A (R2A) for 10 days, and were subsequently stored at -70°C. This stock was cultivated on R2A in batch mode. After culturing for five days, the bacteria were inoculated into the CBR. Biofilms were grown on polyurethane tubing for four days. Biofilm accumulation and thickness was 1.3 × 10 5  CFU cm -2 and 10-14 μm respectively, after four days. Bacteria in the biofilms included cocci and rods of short and medium lengths. In addition, 38 bacterial genera were detected in biofilms. In this study, the suitability and reproducibility of the CBR model for DUWL biofilm formation were demonstrated. The model provides a foundation for the development of bacterial control methods for DUWLs.

Evaluation of a hybrid anaerobic biofilm reactor treating winery effluents and using grape stalks as biofilm carrier.

Science.gov (United States)

Wahab, Mohamed Ali; Habouzit, Frédéric; Bernet, Nicolas; Jedidi, Naceur; Escudié, Renaud

2016-01-01

Wine production processes generate large amount of both winery wastewater and solid wastes. Furthermore, working periods, volumes and pollution loads greatly vary over the year. Therefore, it is recommended to develop a low-cost treatment technology for the treatment of winery effluents taking into account the variation of the organic loading rate (OLR). Accordingly, we have investigated the sequential operation of an anaerobic biofilm reactor treating winery effluents and using grape stalks (GSs) as biofilm carrier with an OLR ranging from 0.65 to 27 gCOD/L/d. The result showed that, during the start-up with wastewater influent, the chemical oxygen demand (COD) removal rate ranged from 83% to 93% and was about 91% at the end of the start-up period that lasted for 40 days. After 3 months of inactivity period of the reactor (no influent feeding), we have succeeded in restarting-up the reactor in only 15 days with a COD removal of 82% and a low concentration of volatile fatty acids (1 g/L), which confirms the robustness of the reactor. As a consequence, GSs can be used as an efficient carrier support, allowing a fast reactor start-up, while the biofilm conserves its activity during a non-feeding period. The proposed hybrid reactor thus permits to treat both winery effluents and GSs.

Bioremoval of trivalent chromium using Bacillus biofilms through continuous flow reactor

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sundar, K.; Sadiq, I. Mohammed; Mukherjee, Amitava; Chandrasekaran, N.

2011-01-01

Highlights: ► Effective bioremoval of Cr(III) using bacterial biofilms. ► Simplified bioreactor was fabricated for the biofilm development and Cr(III) removal. ► Economically feasible substrate like coarse sand and pebbles were used. - Abstract: Present study deals with the applicability of bacterial biofilms for the bioremoval of trivalent chromium from tannery effluents. A continuous flow reactor was designed for the development of biofilms on different substrates like glass beads, pebbles and coarse sand. The parameters for the continuous flow reactor were 20 ml/min flow rate at 30 °C, pH4. Biofilm biomass on the substrates was in the following sequence: coarse sand > pebbles > glass beads (4.8 × 10 7 , 4.5 × 10 7 and 3.5 × 10 5 CFU/cm 2 ), which was confirmed by CLSM. Biofilms developed using consortium of Bacillus subtilis and Bacillus cereus on coarse sand had more surface area and was able to remove 98% of Cr(III), SEM-EDX proved 92.60% Cr(III) adsorption on biofilms supported by coarse sand. Utilization of Bacillus biofilms for effective bioremoval of Cr(III) from chrome tanning effluent could be a better option for tannery industry, especially during post chrome tanning operation.

Natural genetic transformation in Acinetobacter sp. BD413 Biofilms: introducing natural genetic transformation as a tool for bioenhancement of biofilm reactors

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Hendrickx, L

2002-07-01

This study focussed on the localization and quantification of natural genetic transformation using neutral and disadvantageous genes in monoculture biofilms to investigate gene transfer and expression of the transferred genes in the absence of a selective advantage. Data obtained by this investigation were regarded as initial steps for evaluating the applicability of adding catabolic traits into the indigenous bacterial community of biofilm reactors by in situ natural genetic transformation. Because Acinetobacter spp. strains are readily found in waste water treatment plants and because Acinetobacter sp. BD413 possesses a high effective level of competence, natural genetic transformation was investigated in monoculture Acinetobacter sp. BD413 biofilms. The genes used for transformation encoded for the green fluorescent protein (GFP) and its variants. Monitoring of transformation events were performed with the use of automated confocal laser scanning microscopy (CLSM) and semi automated digital image processing and analysis. (orig.)

Bioremoval of trivalent chromium using Bacillus biofilms through continuous flow reactor

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Sundar, K.; Sadiq, I. Mohammed; Mukherjee, Amitava [Centre for Nanobiotechnology, Nano Bio-Medicine Laboratory School of Bio Sciences and Technology VIT University, Vellore - 632014 (India); Chandrasekaran, N., E-mail: nchandrasekaran@vit.ac.in [Centre for Nanobiotechnology, Nano Bio-Medicine Laboratory School of Bio Sciences and Technology VIT University, Vellore - 632014 (India)

2011-11-30

Highlights: Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer Effective bioremoval of Cr(III) using bacterial biofilms. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer Simplified bioreactor was fabricated for the biofilm development and Cr(III) removal. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer Economically feasible substrate like coarse sand and pebbles were used. - Abstract: Present study deals with the applicability of bacterial biofilms for the bioremoval of trivalent chromium from tannery effluents. A continuous flow reactor was designed for the development of biofilms on different substrates like glass beads, pebbles and coarse sand. The parameters for the continuous flow reactor were 20 ml/min flow rate at 30 Degree-Sign C, pH4. Biofilm biomass on the substrates was in the following sequence: coarse sand > pebbles > glass beads (4.8 Multiplication-Sign 10{sup 7}, 4.5 Multiplication-Sign 10{sup 7} and 3.5 Multiplication-Sign 10{sup 5} CFU/cm{sup 2}), which was confirmed by CLSM. Biofilms developed using consortium of Bacillus subtilis and Bacillus cereus on coarse sand had more surface area and was able to remove 98% of Cr(III), SEM-EDX proved 92.60% Cr(III) adsorption on biofilms supported by coarse sand. Utilization of Bacillus biofilms for effective bioremoval of Cr(III) from chrome tanning effluent could be a better option for tannery industry, especially during post chrome tanning operation.

Experimental and theoretical investigation of anaerobic fluidized bed biofilm reactors

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

M. Fuentes

2009-09-01

Full Text Available This work presents an experimental and theoretical investigation of anaerobic fluidized bed reactors (AFBRs. The bioreactors are modeled as dynamic three-phase systems. Biochemical transformations are assumed to occur only in the fluidized bed zone. The biofilm process model is coupled to the system hydrodynamic model through the biofilm detachment rate; which is assumed to be a first-order function of the energy dissipation parameter and a second order function of biofilm thickness. Non-active biomass is considered to be particulate material subject to hydrolysis. The model includes the anaerobic conversion for complex substrate degradation and kinetic parameters selected from the literature. The experimental set-up consisted of two mesophilic (36±1ºC lab-scale AFBRs (R1 and R2 loaded with sand as inert support for biofilm development. The reactor start-up policy was based on gradual increments in the organic loading rate (OLR, over a four month period. Step-type disturbances were applied on the inlet (glucose and acetic acid substrate concentration (chemical oxygen demand (COD from 0.85 to 2.66 g L-1 and on the feed flow rate (from 3.2 up to 6.0 L d-1 considering the maximum efficiency as the reactor loading rate switching. The predicted and measured responses of the total and soluble COD, volatile fatty acid (VFA concentrations, biogas production rate and pH were investigated. Regarding hydrodynamic and fluidization aspects, variations of the bed expansion due to disturbances in the inlet flow rate and the biofilm growth were measured. As rate coefficients for the biofilm detachment model, empirical values of 3.73⋅10(4 and 0.75⋅10(4 s² kg-1 m-1 for R1 and R2, respectively, were estimated.

Low-biodegradable composite chemical wastewater treatment by biofilm configured sequencing batch reactor (SBBR)

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Mohan, S. Venkata; Rao, N. Chandrasekhara; Sarma, P.N.

2007-01-01

Biofilm configured system with sequencing/periodic discontinuous batch mode operation was evaluated for the treatment of low-biodegradable composite chemical wastewater (low BOD/COD ratio ∼0.3, high sulfate content: 1.75 g/l) in aerobic metabolic function. Reactor was operated under anoxic-aerobic-anoxic microenvironment conditions with a total cycle period of 24 h [fill: 15 min; reaction: 23 h (aeration along with recirculation); settle: 30 min; decant: 15 min] and the performance of the system was studied at organic loading rates (OLR) of 0.92, 1.50, 3.07 and 4.76 kg COD/cum-day. Substrate utilization showed a steady increase with increase in OLR and system performance sustained at higher loading rates. Maximum non-cumulative substrate utilization was observed after 4 h of the cycle operation. Sulfate removal efficiency of 20% was observed due to the induced anoxic conditions prevailing during the sequence phase operation of the reactor and the existing internal anoxic zones in the biofilm matrix. Biofilm configured sequencing batch reactor (SBR) showed comparatively higher efficiency to the corresponding suspended growth and granular activated carbon (GAC) configured systems studied with same wastewater. Periodic discontinuous batch mode operation of the biofilm reactors results in a more even distribution of the biomass throughout the reactor and was able to treat large shock loads than the continuous flow process. Biofilm configured system coupled with periodic discontinuous batch mode operation imposes regular variations in the substrate concentration on biofilm organisms. As a result, organisms throughout the film achieve maximum growth rates resulting in improved reaction potential leading to stable and robust system which is well suited for treating highly variable wastes

Low-biodegradable composite chemical wastewater treatment by biofilm configured sequencing batch reactor (SBBR)

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Mohan, S. Venkata [Bioengineering and Environmental Engineering Centre, Indian Institute of Chemical Technology, Hyderabad 500 007 (India)]. E-mail: vmohan_s@yahoo.com; Rao, N. Chandrasekhara [Bioengineering and Environmental Engineering Centre, Indian Institute of Chemical Technology, Hyderabad 500 007 (India); Biotechnologies and Process Engineering for the Environment, Universite de Savoie Technolac, Chambery, 73376 Le Bourget Du Lac Cedex (France); Sarma, P.N. [Bioengineering and Environmental Engineering Centre, Indian Institute of Chemical Technology, Hyderabad 500 007 (India)

2007-06-01

Biofilm configured system with sequencing/periodic discontinuous batch mode operation was evaluated for the treatment of low-biodegradable composite chemical wastewater (low BOD/COD ratio {approx}0.3, high sulfate content: 1.75 g/l) in aerobic metabolic function. Reactor was operated under anoxic-aerobic-anoxic microenvironment conditions with a total cycle period of 24 h [fill: 15 min; reaction: 23 h (aeration along with recirculation); settle: 30 min; decant: 15 min] and the performance of the system was studied at organic loading rates (OLR) of 0.92, 1.50, 3.07 and 4.76 kg COD/cum-day. Substrate utilization showed a steady increase with increase in OLR and system performance sustained at higher loading rates. Maximum non-cumulative substrate utilization was observed after 4 h of the cycle operation. Sulfate removal efficiency of 20% was observed due to the induced anoxic conditions prevailing during the sequence phase operation of the reactor and the existing internal anoxic zones in the biofilm matrix. Biofilm configured sequencing batch reactor (SBR) showed comparatively higher efficiency to the corresponding suspended growth and granular activated carbon (GAC) configured systems studied with same wastewater. Periodic discontinuous batch mode operation of the biofilm reactors results in a more even distribution of the biomass throughout the reactor and was able to treat large shock loads than the continuous flow process. Biofilm configured system coupled with periodic discontinuous batch mode operation imposes regular variations in the substrate concentration on biofilm organisms. As a result, organisms throughout the film achieve maximum growth rates resulting in improved reaction potential leading to stable and robust system which is well suited for treating highly variable wastes.

Biological Phosphorus Removal in a Moving Bed Biofilm Reactor

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Helness, Herman

2007-09-15

The scope of this study was to investigate use of the moving bed biofilm reactor (MBBR) process for biological phosphorus removal. The goal has been to describe the operating conditions required for biological phosphorus and nitrogen removal in a MBBR operated as a sequencing batch reactor (SBR), and determine dimensioning criteria for such a process

Denitrification performance of Pseudomonas denitrificans in a fluidized-bed biofilm reactor and in a stirred tank reactor

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Cattaneo, C.; Nicolella, C.; Rovatti, M. [Department of Chemical and Process Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, University of Genoa, Via Opera Pia 15, 16145 Genoa (Italy)

2003-04-09

Denitrification of a synthetic wastewater containing nitrates and methanol as carbon source was carried out in two systems - a fluidized-bed biofilm reactor (FBBR) and a stirred tank reactor (STR) - using Pseudomonas denitrificans over a period of five months. Nitrogen loading was varied during operation of both reactors to assess differences in the response to transient conditions. Experimental data were analyzed to obtain a comparison of denitrification kinetics in biofilm and suspended growth reactors. The comparison showed that the volumetric degradation capacity in the FBBR (5.36 kg {sub N} . m{sup -3} . d{sup -1}) was higher than in the STR, due to higher biomass concentration (10 kg {sub BM} . m{sup -3} vs 1.2 kg {sub BM} m{sup -3}). (Abstract Copyright [2003], Wiley Periodicals, Inc.)

Wastewater treatment with submerged fixed bed biofilm reactor systems--design rules, operating experiences and ongoing developments.

Science.gov (United States)

Schlegel, S; Koeser, H

2007-01-01

Wastewater treatment systems using bio-films that grow attached to a support media are an alternative to the widely used suspended growth activated sludge process. Different fixed growth biofilm reactors are commercially used for the treatment of municipal as well as industrial wastewater. In this paper a fairly new fixed growth biofilm system, the submerged fixed bed biofilm reactor (SFBBR), is discussed. SFBBRs are based on aerated submerged fixed open structured plastic media for the support of the biofilm. They are generally operated without sludge recirculation in order to avoid clogging of the support media and problems with the control of the biofilm. Reactor and process design considerations for these reactors are reviewed. Measures to ensure the development and maintenance of an active biofilm are examined. SFBBRs have been applied successfully to small wastewater treatment plants where complete nitrification but no high degree of denitrification is necessary. For the pre-treatment of industrial wastewater the use of SFBBRs is advantageous, especially in cases of wastewater with high organic loading or high content of compounds with low biodegradability. Performance data from exemplary commercial plants are given. Ongoing research and development efforts aim at achieving a high simultaneous total nitrogen (TN) removal of aerated SFBBRs and at improving the efficiency of TN removal in anoxic SFBBRs.

Mixing and scale affect moving bed biofilm reactor (MBBR) performance

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Kamstra, Andries; Blom, Ewout; Terjesen, Bendik Fyhn

2017-01-01

Moving Bed Biofilm Reactors (MBBR) are used increasingly in closed systems for farming of fish. Scaling, i.e. design of units of increasing size, is an important issue in general bio-reactor design since mixing behaviour will differ between small and large scale. Research is mostly performed on

An overview on the reactors to study drinking water biofilms.

Science.gov (United States)

Gomes, I B; Simões, M; Simões, L C

2014-10-01

The development of biofilms in drinking water distribution systems (DWDS) can cause pipe degradation, changes in the water organoleptic properties but the main problem is related to the public health. Biofilms are the main responsible for the microbial presence in drinking water (DW) and can be reservoirs for pathogens. Therefore, the understanding of the mechanisms underlying biofilm formation and behavior is of utmost importance in order to create effective control strategies. As the study of biofilms in real DWDS is difficult, several devices have been developed. These devices allow biofilm formation under controlled conditions of physical (flow velocity, shear stress, temperature, type of pipe material, etc), chemical (type and amount of nutrients, type of disinfectant and residuals, organic and inorganic particles, ions, etc) and biological (composition of microbial community - type of microorganism and characteristics) parameters, ensuring that the operational conditions are similar as possible to the DWDS conditions in order to achieve results that can be applied to the real scenarios. The devices used in DW biofilm studies can be divided essentially in two groups, those usually applied in situ and the bench top laboratorial reactors. The selection of a device should be obviously in accordance with the aim of the study and its advantages and limitations should be evaluated to obtain reproducible results that can be transposed into the reality of the DWDS. The aim of this review is to provide an overview on the main reactors used in DW biofilm studies, describing their characteristics and applications, taking into account their main advantages and limitations. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Rotating Algal Biofilm Reactors: Mathematical Modeling and Lipid Production

OpenAIRE

Woolsey, Paul A.

2011-01-01

Harvesting of algal biomass presents a large barrier to the success of biofuels made from algae feedstock. Small cell sizes coupled with dilute concentrations of biomass in lagoon systems make separation an expensive and energy intense-process. The rotating algal biofilm reactor (RABR) has been developed at USU to provide a sustainable technology solution to this issue. Algae cells grown as a biofilm are concentrated in one location for ease of harvesting of high density biomass. A mathematic...

Nitrogen Removal by Anammox Biofilm Column Reactor at Moderately Low Temperature

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Tuty Emilia Agustina

2017-10-01

Full Text Available The anaerobic ammonium oxidation (anammox as a new biological approach for nitrogen removal has been considered to be more cost-effective compared with the combination of nitrification and denitrification process. However, the anammox bioreactors are mostly explored at high temperature (>300C in which temperature controlling system is fully required. This research was intended to develop and to apply anammox process for high nitrogen concentration removal at ambient temperature used for treating wastewater in tropical countries. An up-flow biofilm column reactor, which the upper part constructed with a porous polyester non-woven fabric material as a carrier to attach the anammox bacteria was operated without heating system. A maximum nitrogen removal rate (NRR of 1.05 kg-N m3 d-1 was reached in the operation days of 178 with a Total Nitrogen (TN removal efficiency of 74%. This showed the biofilm column anammox reactor was successfully applied to moderate high nitrogen removal from synthetic wastewater at moderately low temperature. Keywords: Anammox, biofilm column reactor, ambient temperature, nitrogen removal

Biofilm formation on membranes used for membrane aerated biological reactors, under different stress conditions

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Andrade-Molinar, C.; Ballinas-Casarrubias, M. L.; Solis-Martinez, F. J.; Rivera-Chavira, B. E.; Cuevas-Rodirguez, G.; Nevarez-Moorillon, G. V.

2009-01-01

Bacterial biofilm play an important role in wastewater treatment processes, and have been optimized in the membrane aerated biofilm reactors (MABR). In MABR, a hydrophobic membrane is used as support for the formation of biofilm, and supplements enough aeration to assure an aerobic process. (Author)

PERKEMBANGAN BIOFILM NITRIFIKASI DI FIXED BED REACTOR PADA SALINITAS TINGGI

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Sudarno

2012-03-01

Full Text Available Development of nitrification biomass that is growing attached on carried material was examined by measuring its ammonium or nitrit oxidation rates. Porous ceramic rings (36 pieces were put into the fixed bed reactor (FBR . The fixed bed reactor that was operated continuously for more than 500 day was continued to be operated at a HRT of 1 day, a DO of above 5 mg L-1 and pH of 8. Ammonia concentration in the feeding was 50 mg NH4+-N L-1. At days 1, 5, 12, 20, 33 and 50, six porous ceramic rings were taken out and then ammonia and nitrite removal rate by biofilm in the ceramic rings was separately measured. The measurement of rates was done in small cylindrical glass reactors with initial concentration of ammonia and nitrite was 10 mg N L-1. Until 50 days of incubation AORs were always higher than NORs. Additionally, ammonia oxidizers attach or grow faster in the porous ceramic material than nitrite oxidizers.

Distributions and activities of ammonia oxidizing bacteria and polyphosphate accumulating organisms in a pumped-flow biofilm reactor.

Science.gov (United States)

Wu, Guangxue; Nielsen, Michael; Sorensen, Ketil; Zhan, Xinmin; Rodgers, Michael

2009-10-01

The spatial distributions and activities of ammonia oxidizing bacteria (AOB) and polyphosphate accumulating organisms (PAOs) were investigated for a novel laboratory-scale sequencing batch pumped-flow biofilm reactor (PFBR) system that was operated for carbon, nitrogen and phosphorus removal. The PFBR comprised of two 16.5l tanks (Reactors 1 and 2), each with a biofilm module of 2m(2) surface area. To facilitate the growth of AOB and PAOs in the reactor biofilms, the influent wastewater was held in Reactor 1 under stagnant un-aerated conditions for 6 h after feeding, and was then pumped over and back between Reactors 1 and 2 for 12 h, creating aerobic conditions in the two reactors during this period; as a consequence, the biofilm in Reactor 2 was in an aerobic environment for almost all the 18.2 h operating cycle. A combination of micro-sensor measurements, molecular techniques, batch experiments and reactor studies were carried out to analyse the performance of the PFBR system. After 100 days operation at a filtered chemical oxygen demand (COD(f)) loading rate of 3.46 g/m(2) per day, the removal efficiencies were 95% COD(f), 87% TN(f) and 74% TP(f). While the PFBR microbial community structure and function were found to be highly diversified with substantial AOB and PAO populations, about 70% of the phosphorus release potential and almost 100% of the nitrification potential were located in Reactors 1 and 2, respectively. Co-enrichment of AOB and PAOs was realized in the Reactor 2 biofilm, where molecular analyses revealed unexpected microbial distributions at micro-scale, with population peaks of AOB in a 100-250 microm deep sub-surface zone and of PAOs in the 0-150 microm surface zone. The micro-distribution of AOB coincided with the position of the nitrification peak identified during micro-sensor analyses. The study demonstrates that enrichment of PAOs can be realized in a constant or near constant aerobic biofilm environment. Furthermore, the findings suggest

Inverse modeling approach for evaluation of kinetic parameters of a biofilm reactor using tabu search.

Science.gov (United States)

Kumar, B Shiva; Venkateswarlu, Ch

2014-08-01

The complex nature of biological reactions in biofilm reactors often poses difficulties in analyzing such reactors experimentally. Mathematical models could be very useful for their design and analysis. However, application of biofilm reactor models to practical problems proves somewhat ineffective due to the lack of knowledge of accurate kinetic models and uncertainty in model parameters. In this work, we propose an inverse modeling approach based on tabu search (TS) to estimate the parameters of kinetic and film thickness models. TS is used to estimate these parameters as a consequence of the validation of the mathematical models of the process with the aid of measured data obtained from an experimental fixed-bed anaerobic biofilm reactor involving the treatment of pharmaceutical industry wastewater. The results evaluated for different modeling configurations of varying degrees of complexity illustrate the effectiveness of TS for accurate estimation of kinetic and film thickness model parameters of the biofilm process. The results show that the two-dimensional mathematical model with Edward kinetics (with its optimum parameters as mu(max)rho(s)/Y = 24.57, Ks = 1.352 and Ki = 102.36) and three-parameter film thickness expression (with its estimated parameters as a = 0.289 x 10(-5), b = 1.55 x 10(-4) and c = 15.2 x 10(-6)) better describes the biofilm reactor treating the industry wastewater.

Biological nutrient removal from municipal wastewater in sequencing batch biofilm reactors

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Arnz, P

2001-07-01

Enhanced biological phosphorus removal (EBPR) has only been put into practice in activated sludge systems. In recent years, the Sequencing Batch Biofilm Reactor (SBBR) has emerged as an alternative allowing EBPR to be achieved in a biofilm reactor. High efficiency of phosphate removal was demonstrated in a SBBR fed with synthetic wastewater containing acetate. The aim of this study was to investigate EBPR from municipal wastewater in semi full-scale and laboratory-scale SBBRs. The focus of the investigation in the semi full-scale reactor was on determination of achievable reaction rates and effluent concentrations under varying influent conditions throughout all seasons of a year. Interactions between nitrogen and phosphorus removal and the influence of backwashing on the reactor performance was examined. Summing up, it can be stated that the SBBR proved to be an attractive alternative to activated sludge systems. Phosphorus elimination efficiency was comparable to common systems but biomass sedimentation problems were avoided. In order to further exploit the potential of the SBBR and to achieve reactor performances superior to those of existing systems designing a special biofilm carrier material may allow to increase the phenomenon of simultaneous nitrification/denitrification while maintaining EBPR activity. (orig.) [German] Die vermehrte biologische Phosphorelimination (Bio-P) aus Abwasser wurde bisher nur in Belebtschlammsystemen praktiziert. In den letzten Jahren konnte jedoch gezeigt werden, dass sich durch die Anwendung des Sequencing Batch Biofilm Reactor (SBBR) - Verfahrens auch in Biofilmreaktoren Bio-P verwirklichen laesst. Versuche in Laboranlagen haben ergeben, dass sich eine weitgehende Phosphorelimination aufrecht erhalten laesst, wenn die Reaktoren mit einem ideal zusammengesetzten, synthetischen Abwasser beschickt werden. Ziel dieser Arbeit war es, Bio-P aus kommunalem Abwasser in SBBR-Versuchsanlagen im halbtechnischen und im Labormassstab zu

Transformation products of clindamycin in moving bed biofilm reactor (MBBR)

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Ooi, Gordon Tze Hoong; Escola Casas, Monica; Andersen, Henrik Rasmus

2017-01-01

Clindamycin is widely prescribed for its ability to treat a number of common bacterial infections. Thus, clindamycin enters wastewater via human excretion or disposal of unused medication and widespread detection of pharmaceuticals in rivers proves the insufficiency of conventional wastewater...... treatment plants in removing clindamycin. Recently, it has been discovered that attached biofilm reactors, e.g., moving bed biofilm reactors (MBBRs) obtain a higher removal of pharmaceuticals than conventional sludge wastewater treatment plants. Therefore, this study investigated the capability of MBBRs...... process converts clindamycin into the, possibly persistent, products clindamycin sulfoxide and N-desmethyl clindamycin as well as 3 other mono-oxygenated products. Subsequently, the removal kinetics of clindamycin and the formation of the two identified products were investigated in batch experiments...

Biofilm Fixed Film Systems

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Dipesh Das

2011-09-01

Full Text Available The work reviewed here was published between 2008 and 2010 and describes research that involved aerobic and anoxic biofilm treatment of water pollutants. Biofilm denitrification systems are covered when appropriate. References catalogued here are divided on the basis of fundamental research area or reactor types. Fundamental research into biofilms is presented in two sections, Biofilm Measurement and Characterization and Growth and Modeling. The reactor types covered are: trickling filters, rotating biological contactors, fluidized bed bioreactors, submerged bed biofilm reactors, biological granular activated carbon, membrane bioreactors, and immobilized cell reactors. Innovative reactors, not easily classified, are then presented, followed by a section on biofilms on sand, soil and sediment.

Degradation Mechanisms of Colloidal Organic Matter in Biofilm Reactors

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Larsen, Tove; Harremoës, Poul

1994-01-01

-diffusible organic matter in a biofilm reactor. DH depends on the combined volumetric and surface hydraulic loading rate, Q2/(AV). In full-scale wastewater treatment plants, the degradation mechanism presented in this paper can explain important differences between the performance of trickling filters and RBC...

Dimensioning of aerated submerged fixed bed biofilm reactors based on a mathematical biofilm model applied to petrochemical wastewater - the link between theory and practice

OpenAIRE

Trojanowicz, Karol; Wójcik, Wtodzimierz

2014-01-01

The description of a biofilm mathematical model application for dimensioning an aerated fixed bed biofilm reactor (ASFBBR) for petrochemical wastewater polishing is presented. A simple one-dimensional model of biofilm, developed by P Harremöes, was chosen for this purpose. The model was calibrated and verified under conditions of oil-refinery effluent. The results of ASFBBR dimensioning on the basis of the biofilm model were compared with the bioreactor dimensions determined by application of...

Syntrophic microbial communities on straw as biofilm carrier increase the methane yield of a biowaste-digesting biogas reactor

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Frank R. Bengelsdorf

2015-08-01

Full Text Available Biogas from biowaste can be an important source of renewable energy, but the fermentation process of low-structure waste is often unstable. The present study uses a full-scale biogas reactor to test the hypothesis that straw as an additional biofilm carrier will increase methane yield; and this effect is mirrored in a specific microbial community attached to the straw. Better reactor performance after addition of straw, at simultaneously higher organic loading rate and specific methane yield confirmed the hypothesis. The microbial communities on straw as a biofilm carrier and of the liquid reactor content were investigated using 16S rDNA amplicon sequencing by means of 454 pyrosequencing technology. The results revealed high diversity of the bacterial communities in the liquid reactor content as well as the biofilms on the straw. The most abundant archaea in all samples belonged to the genera Methanoculleus and Methanosarcina. Addition of straw resulted in a significantly different microbial community attached to the biofilm carrier. The bacterium Candidatus Cloacamonas acidaminovorans and methanogenic archaea of the genus Methanoculleus dominated the biofilm on straw. Syntrophic interactions between the hydrogenotrophic Methanoculleus sp. and members of the hydrogen-producing bacterial community within biofilms may explain the improved methane yield. Thus, straw addition can be used to improve and to stabilize the anaerobic process in substrates lacking biofilm-supporting structures.

Analysis of Microbial Communities in Biofilms from CSTR-Type Hollow Fiber Membrane Biofilm Reactors for Autotrophic Nitrification and Hydrogenotrophic Denitrification.

Science.gov (United States)

Shin, Jung-Hun; Kim, Byung-Chun; Choi, Okkyoung; Kim, Hyunook; Sang, Byoung-In

2015-10-01

Two hollow fiber membrane biofilm reactors (HF-MBfRs) were operated for autotrophic nitrification and hydrogenotrophic denitrification for over 300 days. Oxygen and hydrogen were supplied through the hollow fiber membrane for nitrification and denitrification, respectively. During the period, the nitrogen was removed with the efficiency of 82-97% for ammonium and 87-97% for nitrate and with the nitrogen removal load of 0.09-0.26 kg NH4(+)-N/m(3)/d and 0.10-0.21 kg NO3(-)-N/m(3)/d, depending on hydraulic retention time variation by the two HF-MBfRs for autotrophic nitrification and hydrogenotrophic denitrification, respectively. Biofilms were collected from diverse topological positions in the reactors, each at different nitrogen loading rates, and the microbial communities were analyzed with partial 16S rRNA gene sequences in denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis (DGGE). Detected DGGE band sequences in the reactors were correlated with nitrification or denitrification. The profile of the DGGE bands depended on the NH4(+) or NO3(-) loading rate, but it was hard to find a major strain affecting the nitrogen removal efficiency. Nitrospira-related phylum was detected in all biofilm samples from the nitrification reactors. Paracoccus sp. and Aquaspirillum sp., which are an autohydrogenotrophic bacterium and an oligotrophic denitrifier, respectively, were observed in the denitrification reactors. The distribution of microbial communities was relatively stable at different nitrogen loading rates, and DGGE analysis based on 16S rRNA (341f /534r) could successfully detect nitrate-oxidizing and hydrogen-oxidizing bacteria but not ammonium-oxidizing bacteria in the HF-MBfRs.

[Rapid startup and nitrogen removal characteristic of anaerobic ammonium oxidation reactor in packed bed biofilm reactor with suspended carrier].

Science.gov (United States)

Chen, Sheng; Sun, De-zhi; Yu, Guang-lu

2010-03-01

Packed bed biofilm reactor with suspended carrier was used to cultivate ANAMMOX bacteria with sludge inoculums from WWTP secondary settler. The startup of ANAMMOX reactor was comparatively studied using high nitrogen loading method and low nitrogen loading method with aerobically biofilmed on the carrier, and the nitrogen removal characteristic was further investigated. The results showed that the reactor could be started up successfully within 90 days using low nitrogen loading method, the removal efficiencies of ammonium and nitrite were nearly 100% and the TN removal efficiencywas over 75% , however, the high nitrogen loading method was proved unsuccessfully for startup of ANAMMOX reactor probably because of the inhibition effect of high concentration of ammonium and nitrite. The pH value of effluent was slightly higher than the influent and the pH value can be used as an indicator for the process of ANAMMOX reaction. The packed bed ANAMMOX reactor with suspended carrier showed good characteristics of high nitrogen loading and high removal efficiency, 100% of removal efficiency could be achieved when the influent ammonium and nitrite concentration was lower than 800 mg/L.

Difference in initial dental biofilm accumulation between night and day.

Science.gov (United States)

Dige, Irene; Schlafer, Sebastian; Nyvad, Bente

2012-12-01

The study of initial microbial colonization on dental surfaces is a field of intensive research because of the aetiological role of biofilms in oral diseases. Most previous studies of de novo accumulation and composition of dental biofilms in vivo do not differentiate between biofilms formed during day and night. This study hypothesized that there is a diurnal variation in the rate of accumulation of bacteria on solid surfaces in the oral cavity. In situ biofilm from healthy individuals was collected for 12 h during day and night, respectively, subjected to fluorescent in situ hybridization and visualized using confocal laser scanning microscopy. Analysis of the biofilms using stereological methods and digital image analysis revealed a consistent statistically significant difference between both the total number of bacteria and the biovolume in the two 12-h groups (p = 0.012), with the highest accumulation of bacteria during daytime (a factor of 8.8 and 6.1 higher, respectively). Hybridization with probes specific for streptococci and Actinomyces naeslundii indicated a higher proportion of streptococci in biofilms grown during daytime as compared to night-time. No differences could be observed for A. naeslundii. The degree of microbial coverage and the bacterial composition varied considerably between different individuals. The data provide firm evidence that initial biofilm formation decreases during the night, which may reflect differences in the availability of salivary nutrients. This finding is of significant importance when studying population dynamics during experimental dental biofilm formation.

Development of a simultaneous partial nitrification and anaerobic ammonia oxidation process in a single reactor.

Science.gov (United States)

Cho, Sunja; Fujii, Naoki; Lee, Taeho; Okabe, Satoshi

2011-01-01

Up-flow oxygen-controlled biofilm reactors equipped with a non-woven fabric support were used as a single reactor system for autotrophic nitrogen removal based on a combined partial nitrification and anaerobic ammonium oxidation (anammox) reaction. The up-flow biofilm reactors were initiated as either a partial nitrifying reactor or an anammox reactor, respectively, and simultaneous partial nitrification and anammox was established by careful control of the aeration rate. The combined partial nitrification and anammox reaction was successfully developed in both biofilm reactors without additional biomass inoculation. The reactor initiated as the anammox reactor gave a slightly higher and more stable mean nitrogen removal rate of 0.35 (±0.19) kg-N m(-3) d(-1) than the reactor initiated as the partial nitrifying reactor (0.23 (±0.16) kg-N m(-3) d(-1)). FISH analysis revealed that the biofilm in the reactor started as the anammox reactor were composed of anammox bacteria located in inner anoxic layers that were surrounded by surface aerobic AOB layers, whereas AOB and anammox bacteria were mixed without a distinguishable niche in the biofilm in the reactor started as the partial nitrifying reactor. However, it was difficult to efficiently maintain the stable partial nitrification owing to inefficient aeration in the reactor, which is a key to development of the combined partial nitrification and anammox reaction in a single biofilm reactor. Copyright © 2010 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Effects of plastic composite support and pH profiles on pullulan production in a biofilm reactor.

Science.gov (United States)

Cheng, Kuan-Chen; Demirci, Ali; Catchmark, Jeffrey M

2010-04-01

Pullulan is a linear homopolysaccharide which is composed of glucose units and often described as alpha-1, 6-linked maltotriose. The applications of pullulan range from usage as blood plasma substitutes to environmental pollution control agents. In this study, a biofilm reactor with plastic composite support (PCS) was evaluated for pullulan production using Aureobasidium pullulans. In test tube fermentations, PCS with soybean hulls, defatted soy bean flour, yeast extract, dried bovine red blood cells, and mineral salts was selected for biofilm reactor fermentation (due to its high nitrogen content, moderate nitrogen leaching rate, and high biomass attachment). Three pH profiles were later applied to evaluate their effects on pullulan production in a PCS biofilm reactor. The results demonstrated that when a constant pH at 5.0 was applied, the time course of pullulan production was advanced and the concentration of pullulan reached 32.9 g/L after 7-day cultivation, which is 1.8-fold higher than its respective suspension culture. The quality analysis demonstrated that the purity of produced pullulan was 95.8% and its viscosity was 2.4 centipoise. Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy spectra also supported the supposition that the produced exopolysaccharide was mostly pullulan. Overall, this study demonstrated that a biofilm reactor can be successfully implemented to enhance pullulan production and maintain its high purity.

Microbiological and chemical approaches to degradation of mecoprop in a Moving-Bed Biofilm-Reactor

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Escola, Monica; Tue Kjærgaard Nielsen, Tue; Hansen, Lars Hestbjerg

Micro-pollutants are ubiquitous in wastewater effluents. Therefore, in-situ treatments of highly polluted water or polishing treatments after classical wastewater treatment have been proposed as a solution. Moving Bed Biofilm-Reactors (MBBRs) are a recent-developed biofilm technology for wastewater...... treatment. MBBRs consist incontain biofilms which are grown on small (1-4 cm diameter) plastic chips that are suspended and mixed in a water tank. These systems have been recognized as robust and versatile. Besides, biofilm systems fdescribe acilitatedemonstrate a clear, but slow, biodegradation of some...... recalcitrant compounds. For all these reasonsThus, MBBRs are pointed as a valuable tool for the elimination of micro-pollutants. Several studies have focused in on describing degradation processes in biofilm by quantifying the loss of micro-pollutants over time. This can be helpful foraid optimizing...

Protection of biofilms against toxic shocks by the adsorption and desorption capacity of carriers in anaerobic fluidized bed reactors

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Petrozzi, S. (Biological Reaction Engineering Group, Chemical Engineering Dept., ETH, Zurich (Switzerland)); Kut, O.M. (Biological Reaction Engineering Group, Chemical Engineering Dept., ETH, Zurich (Switzerland)); Dunn, I.J. (Biological Reaction Engineering Group, Chemical Engineering Dept., ETH, Zurich (Switzerland))

1993-05-01

The aim of this study was to select a support medium for an anaerobic biofilm fluidized bed reactor (AFBR) for waste water treatment. Six materials, shale, pumice, porous glass, quartz sand, activated carbon and anthracite were used as carriers for the biofilm. The reactors were operated in parallel for several months with vapour condensate from a sulfite cellulose process as feed. The criteria used for the evaluation were: (a) Reproducibility of the reactor performance, (b) performance of the different carriers under various loading rates, (c) stability against toxic shock loadings using 2,4,6-trichlorophenol (TCP) as toxicant, (d) recovery capacity after intoxication and starvation, (e) adsorption/desorption behavior of the carriers. A comparison between four runs showed good reproducibility of the steady state removal rates. The performance of the reactors and the stability of the degradation rates were tested for a range of loading conditions. Unbuffered, buffered and pH controlled conditions were compared. The pumice carrier was best with respect to the degradation rate achieved per carrier mass. The response of the reactors to massive TCP step loadings was tested. Loadings less than 1.5 kg TCP/m[sup 3]d resulted in initially normal gas production rates for all the systems, except the activated carbon, whose gas production was partially inhibited from the start. After increasing the load to 1.5 kg TCP/m[sup 3]d the gas production rates of all the other reactors fell abruptly to zero. Restarting after 2 months, all reactors showed methanogenic activity without requiring new inoculum. (orig.)

Difference in initial dental biofilm accumulation between night and day

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Dige, Irene; Schlafer, Sebastian; Nyvad, Bente

2012-01-01

formed during day and night. We hypothesised that there is a diurnal variation in the rate of accumulation of bacteria on solid surfaces in the oral cavity. Material and methods. In situ biofilm from healthy individuals was collected for 12 h during day and night, respectively, subjected to fluorescent......Objective. The study of initial microbial colonization on dental surfaces is a field of intensive research because of the aetiological role of biofilms in oral diseases. Most previous studies of de novo accumulation and composition of dental biofilms in vivo do not differentiate between biofilms...... in situ hybridization, and visualized using confocal laser scanning microscopy. Results. Analysis of the biofilms using stereological methods and digital image analysis revealed a consistent statistically significant difference between both the total number of bacteria and the biovolume in the two 12-h...

Survey of Basic Red 18 Dye Removal Using Biofilm Formed on Granular Bagass in Continuous Aerobic Reactor

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ferdos Kord Mostafapour

2015-12-01

Full Text Available Dyes comprising a major pollutant in the effluent from textile plants are mostly toxic, carcinogenic, mutagenic, and non-biodegradable. This experimental-laboratory study was carried out using a biofilm formed on a granular bagass bed in a continuous aerobic reactor to investigate the kinetic coefficients of the aerobic reactor as well as the effects of color concentration (30-200 mg/l, hydraulic retention time (2-8 h, and BOD concentration (200-100 mg /l on the removal of Basic Red (18 from textile effluents. The results revealed a maximum removal efficiency of 90% for an initial color concentration of 30 mg/l and a hydraulic retention time of 8 hours. A color removal efficiency of 86% was recorded for an influent BOD concentration of 200 mg/l. Also, maximum substrate utilization rate (K for organic loadings of 100 and 200 mg/L were 0.23 and 1.41 while the half velocity constant values were 44.85 and 19.39, respectively. Moreover, for the same organic loadings, the values of 0.35 and 0.5 were recorded for decay coefficient (Kd and 37.36, 4.83 for maximum specific growth rate coefficient (μm, respectively. Based on the findings of this study, it may be claimed that the biofilm formed on a granular bagass bed in a continuous aerobic reactor has a good Basic Red (18 removal efficiency.

Start-up and bacterial community compositions of partial nitrification in moving bed biofilm reactor.

Science.gov (United States)

Liu, Tao; Mao, Yan-Jun; Shi, Yan-Ping; Quan, Xie

2017-03-01

Partial nitrification (PN) has been considered as one of the promising processes for pretreatment of ammonium-rich wastewater. In this study, a kind of novel carriers with enhanced hydrophilicity and electrophilicity was implemented in a moving bed biofilm reactor (MBBR) to start up PN process. Results indicated that biofilm formation rate was higher on modified carriers. In comparison with the reactor filled with traditional carriers (start-up period of 21 days), it took only 14 days to start up PN successfully with ammonia removal efficiency and nitrite accumulation rate of 90 and 91%, respectively, in the reactor filled with modified carriers. Evident changes of spatial distributions and community structures had been detected during the start-up. Free-floating cells existed in planktonic sludge, while these microorganisms trended to form flocs in the biofilm. High-throughput pyrosequencing results indicated that Nitrosomonas was the predominant ammonia-oxidizing bacterium (AOB) in the PN system, while Comamonas might also play a vital role for nitrogen oxidation. Additionally, some other bacteria such as Ferruginibacter, Ottowia, Saprospiraceae, and Rhizobacter were selected to establish stable footholds. This study would be potentially significant for better understanding the microbial features and developing efficient strategies accordingly for MBBR-based PN operation.

Biohydrogen production from diary processing wastewater by anaerobic biofilm reactors

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Rios-Gonzalez, L.J.; Moreno-Davila, I.M.; Rodriguez-Martinez, J.; Garza-Garcia, Y. [Universidad Autonoma de Coahuila, Saltillo, Coahuila (Mexico)]. E-mail: leopoldo.rios@mail.uadec.mx

2009-09-15

This article describes biological hydrogen production from diary wastewater via anaerobic fermentation using pretreated heat shock (100 degrees Celsius, 30 min.) and acid (pH 3.0, 24 h) treatment procedures to selectively enrich the hydrogen producing mixed consortia prior to inoculation to batch reactors. Bioreactor used for immobilization consortia was operated at mesophilic (room) temperature (20{+-}3 degrees Celsius), under acidophilic conditions (pH 4.0-4.5), HRT (2h), and a natural support for generate hydrogen producing mixed consortia biofilm: Opuntia imbricata. Reactor was initially operated with sorbitol (5g/L) for 60 days of operation. Batch tests were conducted using 20{+-}0.02g of natural support with biofilm. Batch experiments were conducted to investigate the effect of COD (2.9-21.1 g-COD/L), at initial pH of 7.0, 32{+-}1 degrees Celsius. Maximum hydrogen yield was obtained at 21.1 g-COD/L. Experiments of pH effect were conducted using the optimal substrate concentration (21.2 g-COD/L), at pH 4 to 7 and 11.32 (pH diary wastewater) ,and 32{+-}1 degrees Celsius. Experiments results indicate the optimum initial cultivation was pH 4.0, but we can consider also a stable hydrogen production at pH 11.32 (pH diary wastewater), so we can avoid to fit the pH, and use diary wastewater as it left the process of cheese manufacture. The operational pH of 4.0 is 1.5 units below that of previously reported hydrogen producing organisms. The influence of the effect of temperature were conducted using the optimal substrate concentration (21.2 g-COD/L), two pH levels: 4.0 and 11.32, and four different temperatures: 16{+-}3 degrees Celsius (room temperature), 3 C, 45{+-}1 degrees Celsius y 55{+-}1 degrees Celsius.Optimal temperature for hydrogen production from diary wastewater at pH 4.0 was 55{+-}1 degrees Celsius, and for pH 11.32 was 16{+-}3 degrees Celsius.Therefore, the results suggests biofilm reactors in a natural support like Opuntia imbricata have good potential

Accurate evaluation for the biofilm-activated sludge reactor using graphical techniques

Science.gov (United States)

Fouad, Moharram; Bhargava, Renu

2018-05-01

A complete graphical solution is obtained for the completely mixed biofilm-activated sludge reactor (hybrid reactor). The solution consists of a series of curves deduced from the principal equations of the hybrid system after converting them in dimensionless form. The curves estimate the basic parameters of the hybrid system such as suspended biomass concentration, sludge residence time, wasted mass of sludge, and food to biomass ratio. All of these parameters can be expressed as functions of hydraulic retention time, influent substrate concentration, substrate concentration in the bulk, stagnant liquid layer thickness, and the minimum substrate concentration which can maintain the biofilm growth in addition to the basic kinetics of the activated sludge process in which all these variables are expressed in a dimensionless form. Compared to other solutions of such system these curves are simple, easy to use, and provide an accurate tool for analyzing such system based on fundamental principles. Further, these curves may be used as a quick tool to get the effect of variables change on the other parameters and the whole system.

Physics of biofilms: the initial stages of biofilm formation and dynamics

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lambert, Guillaume; Bergman, Andrew; Zhang, Qiucen; Bortz, David; Austin, Robert

2014-01-01

One of the physiological responses of bacteria to external stress is to assemble into a biofilm. The formation of a biofilm greatly increases a bacterial population's resistance to a hostile environment by shielding cells, for example, from antibiotics. In this paper, we describe the conditions necessary for the emergence of biofilms in natural environments and relate them to the emergence of biofilm formation inside microfluidic devices. We show that competing species of Escherichia coli bacteria form biofilms to spatially segregate themselves in response to starvation stress, and use in situ methods to characterize the physical properties of the biofilms. Finally, we develop a microfluidic platform to study the inter-species interactions and show how biofilm-mediated genetic interactions can improve a species’ resistance to external stress. (paper)

[Bacterial diversity in sequencing batch biofilm reactor (SBBR) for landfill leachate treatment using PCR-DGGE].

Science.gov (United States)

Xiao, Yong; Yang, Zhao-hui; Zeng, Guang-ming; Ma, Yan-he; Liu, You-sheng; Wang, Rong-juan; Xu, Zheng-yong

2007-05-01

For studying the bacterial diversity and the mechanism of denitrification in sequencing bath biofilm reactor (SBBR) treating landfill leachate to provide microbial evidence for technique improvements, total microbial DNA was extracted from samples which were collected from natural landfill leachate and biofilm of a SBBR that could efficiently remove NH4+ -N and COD of high concentration. 16S rDNA fragments were amplified from the total DNA successfully using a pair of universal bacterial 16S rDNA primer, GC341F and 907R, and then were used for denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis (DGGE) analysis. The bands in the gel were analyzed by statistical methods and excided from the gel for sequencing, and the sequences were used for homology analysis and then two phylogenetic trees were constructed using DNAStar software. Results indicated that the bacterial diversity of the biofilm in SBBR and the landfill leachate was abundant, and no obvious change of community structure happened during running in the biofilm, in which most bacteria came from the landfill leachate. There may be three different modes of denitrification in the reactor because several different nitrifying bacteria, denitrifying bacteria and anaerobic ammonia oxidation bacteria coexisted in it. The results provided some valuable references for studying microbiological mechanism of denitrification in SBBR.

Membrane-aerated biofilm reactor for the removal of 1,2-dichloroethane by Pseudomonas sp strain DCA1

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Hage, J.C.; Houten, R.T.; Tramper, J.; Hartmans, S.

2004-01-01

A membrane-aerated biofilm reactor (MBR) with a biofilm of Pseudomonas sp. strain DCA1 was studied for the removal of 1,2-dichloroethane (DCA) from water. A hydrophobic membrane was used to create a barrier between the liquid and the gas phase. Inoculation of the MBR with cells of strain DCA1 grown

Characterization of biofilm in 200W fluidized bed reactors

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Lee, Michelle H. [Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL), Richland, WA (United States); Saurey, Sabrina D. [Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL), Richland, WA (United States); Lee, Brady D. [Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL), Richland, WA (United States); Parker, Kent E. [Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL), Richland, WA (United States); Eisenhauer, Emalee E. R. [Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL), Richland, WA (United States); Cordova, Elsa A. [Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL), Richland, WA (United States); Golovich, Elizabeth C. [Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL), Richland, WA (United States)

2014-09-29

Contaminated groundwater beneath the 200 West Area at the Hanford Site in Southeast Washington is currently being treated using a pump and treat system to remove organics, inorganics, radionuclides, and metals. A granular activated carbon-based fluidized bed reactor (FBR) has been added to remove nitrate, hexavalent chromium and carbon tetrachloride. Initial analytical results indicated the microorganisms effectively reduced many of the contaminants to less than cleanup levels. However shortly thereafter operational upsets of the FBR include carbon carry over, over production of microbial extracellular polymeric substance (biofilm) materials, and over production of hydrogen sulfide. As a result detailed investigations were undertaken to understand the functional diversity and activity of the microbial community present in the FBR over time. Molecular analyses including terminal restriction fragment length polymorphism analysis, quantitative polymerase chain reaction and fluorescent in situ hybridization analyses were performed on the microbial community extracted from the biofilm within the bed and from the inoculum, to determine functional dynamics of the FBR bed over time and following operational changes. Findings from these analyses indicated: 1) the microbial community within the bed was completely different than community used for inoculation, and was likely from the groundwater; 2) analyses early in the testing showed an FBR community dominated by a few Curvibacter and Flavobacterium species; 3) the final sample taken indicated that the microbial community in the FBR bed had become more diverse; and 4) qPCR analyses indicated that bacteria involved in nitrogen cycling, including denitrifiers and anaerobic ammonia oxidizing bacteria, were dominant in the bed. These results indicate that molecular tools can be powerful for determining functional diversity within FBR type reactors. Coupled with micronutrient, influent and effluent chemistry

Enhancement of Biofilm Formation on Pyrite by Sulfobacillus thermosulfidooxidans

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Qian Li

2016-07-01

Full Text Available Bioleaching is the mobilization of metal cations from insoluble ores by microorganisms. Biofilms can enhance this process. Since Sulfobacillus often appears in leaching heaps or reactors, this genus has aroused attention. In this study, biofilm formation and subsequent pyrite dissolution by the Gram-positive, moderately thermophilic acidophile Sulfobacillus thermosulfidooxidans were investigated. Five strategies, including adjusting initial pH, supplementing an extra energy source or ferric ions, as well as exchanging exhausted medium with fresh medium, were tested for enhancement of its biofilm formation. The results show that regularly exchanging exhausted medium leads to a continuous biofilm development on pyrite. By this way, multiply layered biofilms were observed on pyrite slices, while only monolayer biofilms were visible on pyrite grains. In addition, biofilms were proven to be responsible for pyrite leaching in the early stages.

Removal of micropollutants in Moving Bed Biofilm reactors (MBBRs)

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Torresi, Elena

Numerous pollutants such as pharmaceuticals and personal care products are continuously released into municipal wastewater treatment plants (WWTP). Present at concentration of nano- to milligram per liter, they are defined as micropollutants. Micropollutants are only partially removed, possibly due...... compared to conventional activated sludge. In MBBRs, biofilm grow on plastic carriers kept in suspension in the reactor basin via mechanical mixing or aeration, offering a suit of benefits, amongst all comparably small footprint. Despite few existing evidences in aerobic MBBR, an in-depth understanding...

Nitrate removal from groundwater by cooperating heterotrophic with autotrophic denitrification in a biofilm-electrode reactor

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Zhao, Yingxin [School of Water Resources and Environment, China University of Geosciences, Beijing 100083 (China); Graduate School of Life and Environmental Sciences, University of Tsukuba, Tsukuba 3058572 (Japan); Feng, Chuanping, E-mail: fengchuangping@gmail.com [School of Water Resources and Environment, China University of Geosciences, Beijing 100083 (China); Wang, Qinghong; Yang, Yingnan; Zhang, Zhenya; Sugiura, Norio [Graduate School of Life and Environmental Sciences, University of Tsukuba, Tsukuba 3058572 (Japan)

2011-09-15

Highlights: {yields} Intensified biofilm-electrode reactor using cooperative denitrification is developed. {yields} IBER combines heterotrophic and autotrophic denitrification. {yields} CO{sub 2} formed by heterotrophic denitrification is used by autotrophic bacteria. {yields} Optimum running conditions are C/N = 0.75, HRT = 8 h, and I = 40 mA. {yields} A novel degradation mechanism for cooperating denitrification process is proposed. - Abstract: An intensified biofilm-electrode reactor (IBER) combining heterotrophic and autotrophic denitrification was developed for treatment of nitrate contaminated groundwater. The reactor was evaluated with synthetic groundwater (NO{sub 3}{sup -}N50 mg L{sup -1}) under different hydraulic retention times (HRTs), carbon to nitrogen ratios (C/N) and electric currents (I). The experimental results demonstrate that high nitrate and nitrite removal efficiency (100%) were achieved at C/N = 1, HRT = 8 h, and I = 10 mA. C/N ratios were reduced from 1 to 0.5 and the applied electric current was changed from 10 to 100 mA, showing that the optimum running condition was C/N = 0.75 and I = 40 mA, under which over 97% of NO{sub 3}{sup -}N was removed and organic carbon (methanol) was completely consumed in treated water. Simultaneously, the denitrification mechanism in this system was analyzed through pH variation in effluent. The CO{sub 2} produced from the anode acted as a good pH buffer, automatically controlling pH in the reaction zone. The intensified biofilm-electrode reactor developed in the study was effective for the treatment of groundwater polluted by nitrate.

Fixed-biofilm reactors applied to waste water treatment and aquacultural water recirculating systems

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Bovendeur, J.

1989-01-01

Fixed-biofilm waste water treatment may be regarded as one of the oldest engineered biological waste water treatment methods. With the recent introduction of modern packing materials, this type of reactor has received a renewed impuls for implementation in a wide field of water treatment.

In

Autotrophic Nitrogen Removal in a Membrane-Aerated Biofilm Reactor Under Continuous Aeration: A Demonstration

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Gilmore, Kevin R.; Terada, Akihiko; Smets, Barth F.

2013-01-01

This work describes the successful coupling of partial nitrification (nitritation) and anaerobic ammonium oxidation in a membrane-aerated biofilm reactor (MABR) with continuous aeration. Controlling the relative surface loadings of oxygen versus ammonium prevented complete nitrite oxidation and a...

Sequentially aerated membrane biofilm reactors for autotrophic nitrogen removal: microbial community composition and dynamics

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Pellicer i Nàcher, Carles; Franck, Stephanie; Gülay, Arda

2014-01-01

Membrane-aerated biofilm reactors performing autotrophic nitrogen removal can be successfully applied to treat concentrated nitrogen streams. However, their process performance is seriously hampered by the growth of nitrite oxidizing bacteria (NOB). In this work we document how sequential aeration...

Post-treatment of anaerobically degraded azo dye Acid Red 18 using aerobic moving bed biofilm process: Enhanced removal of aromatic amines

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hosseini Koupaie, E.; Alavi Moghaddam, M.R.; Hashemi, S.H.

2011-01-01

Highlights: → Biofilm process was applied as post-treatment of anaerobically degraded an azo dye. → More than 65% of the dye total metabolites was completely mineralized. → Based on HPLC analysis, more than 80% of 1-naphthylamine-4-sulfonate was removed. → Inhibition of biofilm growth was increased with increasing the initial dye concentration. → Considerable porous morphology was observed in the SEM photographs of the biofilm. - Abstract: The application of aerobic moving bed biofilm process as post-treatment of anaerobically degraded azo dye Acid Red 18 was investigated in this study. The main objective of this work was to enhance removal of anaerobically formed the dye aromatic metabolites. Three separate sequential treatment systems were operated with different initial dye concentrations of 100, 500 and 1000 mg/L. Each treatment system consisted of an anaerobic sequencing batch reactor (An-SBR) followed by an aerobic moving bed sequencing batch biofilm reactor (MB-SBBR). Up to 98% of the dye decolorization and more than 80% of the COD removal occurred anaerobically. The obtained results suggested no significant difference in COD removal as well as the dye decolorization efficiency using three An-SBRs receiving different initial dye concentrations. Monitoring the dye metabolites through HPLC suggested that more than 80% of anaerobically formed 1-naphthylamine-4-sulfonate was completely removed in the aerobic biofilm reactors. Based on COD analysis results, at least 65-72% of the dye total metabolites were mineralized during the applied treatment systems. According to the measured biofilm mass and also based on respiration-inhibition test results, increasing the initial dye concentration inhibited the growth and final mass of the attached-growth biofilm in MB-SBBRs.

Responses of biofilm characteristics to variations in temperature and NH4(+)-N loading in a moving-bed biofilm reactor treating micro-polluted raw water.

Science.gov (United States)

Zhang, Shuangfu; Wang, Yayi; He, Weitao; Wu, Min; Xing, Meiyan; Yang, Jian; Gao, Naiyun; Yin, Daqiang

2013-03-01

A pilot-scale moving-bed biofilm reactor (MBBR) for biological treatment of micro-polluted raw water was operated over 400days to investigate the responses of biofilm characteristics and nitrification performance to variations in temperature and NH4(+)-N loading. The mean removal efficiency of NH4(+)-N in the MBBR reached 71.4±26.9%, and batch experiments were performed to study nitrification kinetics for better process understanding. Seven physical-chemical parameters, including volatile solids (VS), polysaccharides (PS) and phospholipids (PL) increased firstly, and then rapidly decreased with increasing temperature and NH4(+)-N loading, and properly characterized the attached biomass during biofilm development and detachment in the MBBR. The biofilm compositions were described by six ratios, e.g., PS/VS and PL/VS ratios showed different variation trends, indicating different responses of PS and PL to the changes in temperature and NH4(+)-N loading. Furthermore, fluorescent in situ hybridization (FISH) analysis revealed that increased NH4(+)-N loadings caused an enrichment of the nitrifying biofilm. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

A fungal biofilm reactor based on metal structured packing improves the quality of a Gla::GFP fusion protein produced by Aspergillus oryzae.

Science.gov (United States)

Zune, Q; Delepierre, A; Gofflot, S; Bauwens, J; Twizere, J C; Punt, P J; Francis, F; Toye, D; Bawin, T; Delvigne, F

2015-08-01

Fungal biofilm is known to promote the excretion of secondary metabolites in accordance with solid-state-related physiological mechanisms. This work is based on the comparative analysis of classical submerged fermentation with a fungal biofilm reactor for the production of a Gla::green fluorescent protein (GFP) fusion protein by Aspergillus oryzae. The biofilm reactor comprises a metal structured packing allowing the attachment of the fungal biomass. Since the production of the target protein is under the control of the promoter glaB, specifically induced in solid-state fermentation, the biofilm mode of culture is expected to enhance the global productivity. Although production of the target protein was enhanced by using the biofilm mode of culture, we also found that fusion protein production is also significant when the submerged mode of culture is used. This result is related to high shear stress leading to biomass autolysis and leakage of intracellular fusion protein into the extracellular medium. Moreover, 2-D gel electrophoresis highlights the preservation of fusion protein integrity produced in biofilm conditions. Two fungal biofilm reactor designs were then investigated further, i.e. with full immersion of the packing or with medium recirculation on the packing, and the scale-up potentialities were evaluated. In this context, it has been shown that full immersion of the metal packing in the liquid medium during cultivation allows for a uniform colonization of the packing by the fungal biomass and leads to a better quality of the fusion protein.

Biohydrogen production from glucose in upflow biofilm reactors with plastic carriers under extreme thermophilic conditions (70(degree)C)

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Zheng, H.; Zeng, Raymond Jianxiong; Angelidaki, Irini

2008-01-01

Biohydrogen could efficiently be produced in glucose-fed biofilm reactors filled with plastic carriers and operated at 70°C. Batch experiments were, in addition, conducted to enrich and cultivate glucose-fed extremethermophilic hydrogen producing microorganisms from a biohydrogen CSTR reactor fed...

Biofilm photobioreactors for the treatment of industrial wastewaters

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Munoz, Raul; Koellner, Claudia; Guieysse, Benoit

2009-01-01

A flat plate and a tubular packed-bed photobioreactor with an algal-bacterial biofilm attached onto Poraver beads carriers, a flat plate and a tubular photobioreactor with the biofilm attached onto the reactor walls, and an algal-turf reactor were compared in terms of BOD removal efficiencies, elimination capacities, and stability. A control column photobioreactor with suspended algal-bacterial biomass was also tested to compare the performance of biofilm photobioreactors with conventional algal-based processes. When the algal-bacterial biomass was immobilized onto Poraver the process never reached a steady state due to a poor homogenization in the bioreactor. When the biofilm was formed onto the reactor wall (or reactor base) the process was stable. A maximum degradation rate of 295 mg BOD l -1 h -1 was achieved in the algal-turf reactor although control experiments performed in the dark showed atmospheric O 2 diffusion represented 55% of the oxygenation capacity in this system. BOD removal rates of 108, and 92 mg BOD l -1 h -1 were achieved in the tubular and flat plate biofilm reactors, respectively, compared to 77 mg BOD l -1 h -1 in the control suspended bioreactor. In addition, all biofilm photobioreactors produced an easily settleable biomass. Evidence was found that biomass attachment to the reactor's wall improved stability

Hydrodynamic and biological study of a methanogenic bio-film process: the inverse turbulent bed reactor; Etude hydrodynamique et biologique d'un procede de methanisation a biofilm: le reacteur a lit turbule inverse

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Michaud, S.

2001-11-01

This work deals with the operation and start-up of a turbulent bed reactor with ExtendospheresO as a support, for the anaerobic treatment of a food process wastewater. An hydrodynamic study was carried out to characterise the liquid flow and mixing with this carrier of small size (147 {mu}m) and density (0.7). Phase behaviour during fluidizing gas injection can be described by an homogeneous liquid-solid pseudo-fluid whose apparent viscosity depends on the solid concentration. A biological study showed that the initial contact between cells and particles caused a physiological adaptation of microorganisms to the presence of solid after a transitory inhibition of methane production. The methane yield has been showed to be an interesting parameter to monitor bio-film formation and detachment. A low hydraulic retention time during the start-up period has been decisive to reduce the lag-period during carrier colonization. A robust continuous operation of the reactor has been obtained using a pH-controlled feeding. Gas velocity has been shown to be an important parameter to control cells concentration, density and durability of the bio-film. (author)

Biodegradation of phenol with chromium(VI) reduction in an anaerobic fixed-biofilm process-Kinetic model and reactor performance

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lin, Yen-Hui; Wu, Chih-Lung; Hsu, Chih-Hao; Li, Hsin-Lung

2009-01-01

A mathematical model system was derived to describe the simultaneous removal of phenol biodegradation with chromium(VI) reduction in an anaerobic fixed-biofilm reactor. The model system incorporates diffusive mass transport and double Monod kinetics. The model was solved using a combination of the orthogonal collocation method and Gear's method. A laboratory-scale column reactor was employed to validate the kinetic model system. Batch kinetic tests were conducted independently to evaluate the biokinetic parameters used in the model simulation. The removal efficiencies of phenol and chromium(VI) in an anaerobic fixed-biofilm process were approximately 980 mg/g and 910 mg/g, respectively, under a steady-state condition. In the steady state, model-predicted biofilm thickness reached up to 350 μm and suspended cells in the effluent were 85 mg cell/l. The experimental results agree closely with the results of the model simulations.

Biofilm Community Dynamics in Bench-Scale Annular Reactors Simulating Arrestment of Chloraminated Drinking Water Nitrification

Science.gov (United States)

Annular reactors (ARs) were used to study biofilm community succession and provide an ecological insight during nitrification arrestment through simultaneously increasing monochloramine (NH2Cl) and chlorine to nitrogen mass ratios, resulting in four operational periods (I to IV)....

Performances and microbial features of an aerobic packed-bed biofilm reactor developed to post-treat an olive mill effluent from an anaerobic GAC reactor

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Marchetti Leonardo

2006-04-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Olive mill wastewater (OMW is the aqueous effluent of olive oil producing processes. Given its high COD and content of phenols, it has to be decontaminated before being discharged. Anaerobic digestion is one of the most promising treatment process for such an effluent, as it combines high decontamination efficiency with methane production. The large scale anaerobic digestion of OMWs is normally conducted in dispersed-growth reactors, where however are generally achieved unsatisfactory COD removal and methane production yields. The possibility of intensifying the performance of the process using a packed bed biofilm reactor, as anaerobic treatment alternative, was demonstrated. Even in this case, however, a post-treatment step is required to further reduce the COD. In this work, a biological post-treatment, consisting of an aerobic biological "Manville" silica bead-packed bed aerobic reactor, was developed, tested for its ability to complete COD removal from the anaerobic digestion effluents, and characterized biologically through molecular tools. Results The aerobic post-treatment was assessed through a 2 month-continuous feeding with the digested effluent at 50.42 and 2.04 gl-1day-1 of COD and phenol loading rates, respectively. It was found to be a stable process, able to remove 24 and 39% of such organic loads, respectively, and to account for 1/4 of the overall decontamination efficiency displayed by the anaerobic-aerobic integrated system when fed with an amended OMW at 31.74 and 1.70 gl-1day-1 of COD and phenol loading rates, respectively. Analysis of 16S rRNA gene sequences of biomass samples from the aerobic reactor biofilm revealed that it was colonized by Rhodobacterales, Bacteroidales, Pseudomonadales, Enterobacteriales, Rhodocyclales and genera incertae sedis TM7. Some taxons occurring in the influent were not detected in the biofilm, whereas others, such as Paracoccus, Pseudomonas, Acinetobacter and Enterobacter

Nitrification of industrial and domestic saline wastewaters in moving bed biofilm reactor and sequencing batch reactor

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bassin, Joao P.; Dezotti, Marcia; Sant'Anna, Geraldo L.

2011-01-01

Nitrification of saline wastewaters was investigated in bench-scale moving-bed biofilm reactors (MBBR). Wastewater from a chemical industry and domestic sewage, both treated by the activated sludge process, were fed to moving-bed reactors. The industrial wastewater contained 8000 mg Cl - /L and the salinity of the treated sewage was gradually increased until that level. Residual substances present in the treated industrial wastewater had a strong inhibitory effect on the nitrification process. Assays to determine inhibitory effects were performed with the industrial wastewater, which was submitted to ozonation and carbon adsorption pretreatments. The latter treatment was effective for dissolved organic carbon (DOC) removal and improved nitrification efficiency. Nitrification percentage of the treated domestic sewage was higher than 90% for all tested chloride concentrations up to 8000 mg/L. Results obtained in a sequencing batch reactor (SBR) were consistent with those attained in the MBBR systems, allowing tertiary nitrification and providing adequate conditions for adaptation of nitrifying microorganisms even under stressing and inhibitory conditions.

Heavy metals-bioremediation by highly radioresistant Deinococcus radiodurans biofilm prospective use in nuclear reactor decontamination

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Shukla, Sudhir K.; Subba Rao, T.

2015-01-01

of heavy metals. The study signifies the potential use of D. radiodurans biofilms, which can tolerate >20 kGy in nuclear reactor decontamination process for the removal of active heavy metals. (author)

Nitrate removal from groundwater by cooperating heterotrophic with autotrophic denitrification in a biofilm-electrode reactor.

Science.gov (United States)

Zhao, Yingxin; Feng, Chuanping; Wang, Qinghong; Yang, Yingnan; Zhang, Zhenya; Sugiura, Norio

2011-09-15

An intensified biofilm-electrode reactor (IBER) combining heterotrophic and autotrophic denitrification was developed for treatment of nitrate contaminated groundwater. The reactor was evaluated with synthetic groundwater (NO(3)(-)-N50 mg L(-1)) under different hydraulic retention times (HRTs), carbon to nitrogen ratios (C/N) and electric currents (I). The experimental results demonstrate that high nitrate and nitrite removal efficiency (100%) were achieved at C/N = 1, HRT = 8h, and I = 10 mA. C/N ratios were reduced from 1 to 0.5 and the applied electric current was changed from 10 to 100 mA, showing that the optimum running condition was C/N = 0.75 and I = 40 mA, under which over 97% of NO(3)(-)-N was removed and organic carbon (methanol) was completely consumed in treated water. Simultaneously, the denitrification mechanism in this system was analyzed through pH variation in effluent. The CO(2) produced from the anode acted as a good pH buffer, automatically controlling pH in the reaction zone. The intensified biofilm-electrode reactor developed in the study was effective for the treatment of groundwater polluted by nitrate. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

De-mercurization of wastewater by Bacillus cereus (JUBT1): Growth kinetics, biofilm reactor study and field emission scanning electron microscopic analysis

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ghoshal, Sanjukta; Bhattacharya, Pinaki; Chowdhury, Ranjana

2011-01-01

Graphical abstract: The assembly of biofilm reactor, based on attached growth of Bacillus cereus (JUBT1) on rice husk packing, and an activated carbon filter has been able to ensure the removal of mercury up to near-zero level. Highlights: → A new mercury resistant bacterial strain, Bacillus cereus (JUBT1), has been isolated. → Growth kinetics has been determined. → Biofilm reactor using attached growth of bacteria ensures near-zero level of mercury. → Confinement of mercury is confirmed through energy dispersive spectrometric analysis. - Abstract: Removal of mercuric ions by a mercury resistant bacteria, called Bacillus cereus (JUBT1), isolated from the sludge of a local chlor-alkali industry, has been investigated. Growth kinetics of the bacteria have been determined. A multiplicative, non-competitive relationship between sucrose and mercury ions has been observed with respect to bacterial growth. A combination of biofilm reactor, using attached growth of Bacillus cereus (JUBT1) on rice husk packing, and an activated carbon filter has been able to ensure the removal of mercury up to near-zero level. Energy dispersive spectrometry analysis of biofilm and the activated carbon has proved the transformation of Hg 2+ to Hg 0 and its confinement in the system.

Preliminary assessment of the interaction of introduced biological agents with biofilms in water distribution systems.

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Sinclair, Michael B.; Caldwell, Sara; Jones, Howland D. T.; Altman, Susan Jeanne; Souza, Caroline Ann; McGrath, Lucas K.

2005-12-01

Basic research is needed to better understand the potential risk of dangerous biological agents that are unintentionally or intentionally introduced into a water distribution system. We report on our capabilities to conduct such studies and our preliminary investigations. In 2004, the Biofilms Laboratory was initiated for the purpose of conducting applied research related to biofilms with a focus on application, application testing and system-scale research. Capabilities within the laboratory are the ability to grow biofilms formed from known bacteria or biofilms from drinking water. Biofilms can be grown quickly in drip-flow reactors or under conditions more analogous to drinking-water distribution systems in annular reactors. Biofilms can be assessed through standard microbiological techniques (i .e, aerobic plate counts) or with various visualization techniques including epifluorescent and confocal laser scanning microscopy and confocal fluorescence hyperspectral imaging with multivariate analysis. We have demonstrated the ability to grow reproducible Pseudomonas fluorescens biofilms in the annular reactor with plate counts on the order of 10{sup 5} and 10{sup 6} CFU/cm{sup 2}. Stationary phase growth is typically reached 5 to 10 days after inoculation. We have also conducted a series of pathogen-introduction experiments, where we have observed that both polystyrene microspheres and Bacillus cereus (as a surrogate for B. anthracis) stay incorporated in the biofilms for the duration of our experiments, which lasted as long as 36 days. These results indicated that biofilms may act as a safe harbor for bio-pathogens in drinking water systems, making it difficult to decontaminate the systems.

An integrated mathematical model for chemical oxygen demand (COD) removal in moving bed biofilm reactors (MBBR) including predation and hydrolysis.

Science.gov (United States)

Revilla, Marta; Galán, Berta; Viguri, Javier R

2016-07-01

An integrated mathematical model is proposed for modelling a moving bed biofilm reactor (MBBR) for removal of chemical oxygen demand (COD) under aerobic conditions. The composite model combines the following: (i) a one-dimensional biofilm model, (ii) a bulk liquid model, and (iii) biological processes in the bulk liquid and biofilm considering the interactions among autotrophic, heterotrophic and predator microorganisms. Depending on the values for the soluble biodegradable COD loading rate (SCLR), the model takes into account a) the hydrolysis of slowly biodegradable compounds in the bulk liquid, and b) the growth of predator microorganisms in the bulk liquid and in the biofilm. The integration of the model and the SCLR allows a general description of the behaviour of COD removal by the MBBR under various conditions. The model is applied for two in-series MBBR wastewater plant from an integrated cellulose and viscose production and accurately describes the experimental concentrations of COD, total suspended solids (TSS), nitrogen and phosphorous obtained during 14 months working at different SCLRs and nutrient dosages. The representation of the microorganism group distribution in the biofilm and in the bulk liquid allow for verification of the presence of predator microorganisms in the second reactor under some operational conditions. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

The microbial community of a biofilm contact reactor for the treatment of winery wastewater.

Science.gov (United States)

de Beer, D M; Botes, M; Cloete, T E

2018-02-01

To utilize a three-tiered approach to provide insight into the microbial community structure, the spatial distribution and the metabolic capabilities of organisms of a biofilm in the two towers of a high-rate biological contact reactor treating winery wastewater. Next-generation sequencing indicated that bacteria primarily responsible for the removal of carbohydrates, sugars and alcohol were more abundant in tower 1 than tower 2 while nitrifying and denitrifying bacteria were more abundant in tower 2. Yeast populations differed in each tower. Fluorescent in situ hybridization coupled with confocal microscopy showed distribution of organisms confirming an oxygen gradient across the biofilm depth. The Biolog system (ECO plates) specified the different carbon-metabolizing profiles of the two biofilms. The three-tiered approach confirmed that the addition of a second subunit to the bioreactor, expanded the treatment capacity by augmenting the microbial and metabolic diversity of the system, improving the treatment scope of the system. A three-tiered biofilm analysis provided data required to optimize the design of a bioreactor to provide favourable conditions for the development of a microbial consortium, which has optimal waste removal properties for the treatment requirements at hand. © 2017 The Society for Applied Microbiology.

Can those organic micro-pollutants that are recalcitrant in activated sludge treatment be removed from wastewater by biofilm reactors (slow sand filters)?

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Escolà Casas, Mònica; Bester, Kai

2015-01-01

The degradation of seven compounds which are usually recalcitrant in classical activated sludge treatment (e.g., diclofenac, propranolol, iopromide, iohexol, iomeprol tebuconazole and propiconazole) was studied in a biofilm reactor (slow sand filtration). This reactor was used to treat real effluent-wastewater at different flow rates (hydraulic loadings) under aerobic conditions so removal and degradation kinetics of these recalcitrant compounds were calculated. With the hydraulic loading rate of 0.012 m 3 m 2 h −1 the reactor removed 41, 94, 58, 57 and 85% of diclofenac, propranolol, iopromide, iohexol and iomeprol respectively. For these compounds the removal efficiency was dependent on hydraulic residence-times. Only 59 and 21% of the incoming tebuconazole and propiconazole respectively were removed but their removal did not depend on hydraulic residence time. Biofilm reactors are thus efficient in removing micro-pollutants and could be considered as an option for advanced treatment in small wastewater treatment plants. - Highlights: • A biofilm reactor (biofilter) can remove micro-pollutants from WWTP effluent. • Sorption could be excluded as the dominant removal mechanism. • Biodegradation was responsible for removing seven compounds. • The removal efficiency was usually proportional to the hydraulic residence-time. • Single first-order removal rates apply for most compounds

Can those organic micro-pollutants that are recalcitrant in activated sludge treatment be removed from wastewater by biofilm reactors (slow sand filters)?

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Escolà Casas, Mònica; Bester, Kai, E-mail: kb@dmu.dk

2015-02-15

The degradation of seven compounds which are usually recalcitrant in classical activated sludge treatment (e.g., diclofenac, propranolol, iopromide, iohexol, iomeprol tebuconazole and propiconazole) was studied in a biofilm reactor (slow sand filtration). This reactor was used to treat real effluent-wastewater at different flow rates (hydraulic loadings) under aerobic conditions so removal and degradation kinetics of these recalcitrant compounds were calculated. With the hydraulic loading rate of 0.012 m{sup 3} m{sup 2} h{sup −1} the reactor removed 41, 94, 58, 57 and 85% of diclofenac, propranolol, iopromide, iohexol and iomeprol respectively. For these compounds the removal efficiency was dependent on hydraulic residence-times. Only 59 and 21% of the incoming tebuconazole and propiconazole respectively were removed but their removal did not depend on hydraulic residence time. Biofilm reactors are thus efficient in removing micro-pollutants and could be considered as an option for advanced treatment in small wastewater treatment plants. - Highlights: • A biofilm reactor (biofilter) can remove micro-pollutants from WWTP effluent. • Sorption could be excluded as the dominant removal mechanism. • Biodegradation was responsible for removing seven compounds. • The removal efficiency was usually proportional to the hydraulic residence-time. • Single first-order removal rates apply for most compounds.

Modelling the competition of planktonic and sessile aerobic heterotrophs for complementary nutrients in biofilm reactor.

Science.gov (United States)

Lu, T; Saikaly, P E; Oerther, D B

2007-01-01

A comprehensive, simplified microbial biofilm model was developed to evaluate the impact of bioreactor operating parameters on changes in microbial population abundance. Biofilm simulations were conducted using three special cases: fully penetrated, internal mass transfer resistance and external mass transfer resistance. The results of model simulations showed that for certain operating conditions, competition for growth limiting nutrients generated oscillations in the abundance of planktonic and sessile microbial populations. These oscillations resulted in the violation of the competitive exclusion principle where the number of microbial populations was greater than the number of growth limiting nutrients. However, the operating conditions which impacted microbial community diversity were different for the three special cases. Comparing the results of model simulations for dispersed-growth, biofilms and bioflocs showed that oscillations and microbial community diversity were a function of competition as well as other key features of the ecosystem. The significance of the current study is that it is the first to examine competition as a mechanism for controlling microbial community diversity in biofilm reactors.

Influence of dissolved oxygen on the nitrification kinetics in a circulating bed biofilm reactor

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Nogueira, R.; Melo, L.F. [University of Minho, Braga (Portugal). Dept. Bioengineering; Lazarova, V.; Manem, J. [Centre of International Research for Water and Environment (CIRSEE), Lyonnaise des Eaux, Le Pecq (France)

1998-12-01

The influence of dissolved oxygen concentration on the nitrification kinetics was studied in the circulating bed reactor (CBR). The study was partly performed at laboratory scale with synthetic water, and partly at pilot scale with secondary effluent as feed water. The nitrification kinetics of the laboratory CBR as a function of the oxygen concentration can be described according to the half order and zero order rate equations of the diffusion-reaction model applied to porous catalysts. When oxygen was the rate limiting substrate, the nitrification rate was close to a half order function of the oxygen concentration. The average oxygen diffusion coefficient estimated by fitting the diffusion-reaction model to the experimental results was around 66% of the respective value in water. The experimental results showed that either the ammonia or the oxygen concentration could be limiting for the nitrification kinetics. The latter occurred for an oxygen to ammonia concentration ratio below 1.5-2 gO{sub 2}/gN-NH{sub 4}{sup +} for both laboratory and pilot scale reactors. The volumetric oxygen mass transfer coefficient (k{sub L}a) determined in the laboratory scale reactor was 0.017 s{sup -1} for a superficial air velocity of 0.02 m s{sup -1}, and the one determined in the pilot scale reactor was 0.040 s{sup -1} for a superficial air velocity of 0.031 m s{sup -1}. The k{sub L}a for the pilot scale reactor did not change significantly after biofilm development, compared to the value measured without biofilm. (orig.) With 7 figs., 5 tabs., 24 refs.

Biofilm Development

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Tolker-Nielsen, Tim

2015-01-01

During the past decade we have gained much knowledge about the molecular mechanisms that are involved in initiation and termination of biofilm formation. In many bacteria, these processes appear to occur in response to specific environmental cues and result in, respectively, induction or terminat......During the past decade we have gained much knowledge about the molecular mechanisms that are involved in initiation and termination of biofilm formation. In many bacteria, these processes appear to occur in response to specific environmental cues and result in, respectively, induction...... or termination of biofilm matrix production via the second messenger molecule c-di-GMP. In between initiation and termination of biofilm formation we have defined specific biofilm stages, but the currently available evidence suggests that these transitions are mainly governed by adaptive responses......, and not by specific genetic programs. It appears that biofilm formation can occur through multiple pathways and that the spatial structure of the biofilms is species dependent as well as dependent on environmental conditions. Bacterial subpopulations, e.g., motile and nonmotile subpopulations, can develop...

Microbial community composition and dynamics of moving bed biofilm reactor systems treating municipal sewage.

Science.gov (United States)

Biswas, Kristi; Turner, Susan J

2012-02-01

Moving bed biofilm reactor (MBBR) systems are increasingly used for municipal and industrial wastewater treatment, yet in contrast to activated sludge (AS) systems, little is known about their constituent microbial communities. This study investigated the community composition of two municipal MBBR wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs) in Wellington, New Zealand. Monthly samples comprising biofilm and suspended biomass were collected over a 12-month period. Bacterial and archaeal community composition was determined using a full-cycle community approach, including analysis of 16S rRNA gene libraries, fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) and automated ribosomal intergenic spacer analysis (ARISA). Differences in microbial community structure and abundance were observed between the two WWTPs and between biofilm and suspended biomass. Biofilms from both plants were dominated by Clostridia and sulfate-reducing members of the Deltaproteobacteria (SRBs). FISH analyses indicated morphological differences in the Deltaproteobacteria detected at the two plants and also revealed distinctive clustering between SRBs and members of the Methanosarcinales, which were the only Archaea detected and were present in low abundance (<5%). Biovolume estimates of the SRBs were higher in biofilm samples from one of the WWTPs which receives both domestic and industrial waste and is influenced by seawater infiltration. The suspended communities from both plants were diverse and dominated by aerobic members of the Gammaproteobacteria and Betaproteobacteria. This study represents the first detailed analysis of microbial communities in full-scale MBBR systems and indicates that this process selects for distinctive biofilm and planktonic communities, both of which differ from those found in conventional AS systems.

Membrane-aerated biofilm reactor for the removal of 1,2-dichloroethane by Pseudomonas sp. strain DCA1.

Science.gov (United States)

Hage, J C; Van Houten, R T; Tramper, J; Hartmans, S

2004-06-01

A membrane-aerated biofilm reactor (MBR) with a biofilm of Pseudomonas sp. strain DCA1 was studied for the removal of 1,2-dichloroethane (DCA) from water. A hydrophobic membrane was used to create a barrier between the liquid and the gas phase. Inoculation of the MBR with cells of strain DCA1 grown in a continuous culture resulted in the formation of a stable and active DCA-degrading biofilm on the membrane. The maximum removal rate of the MBR was reached at a DCA concentration of approximately 80 micro M. Simulation of the DCA fluxes into the biofilm showed that the MBR performance at lower concentrations was limited by the DCA diffusion rate rather than by kinetic constraints of strain DCA1. Aerobic biodegradation of DCA present in anoxic water could be achieved by supplying oxygen solely from the gas phase to the biofilm grown on the liquid side of the membrane. As a result, direct aeration of the water, which leads to undesired coagulation of iron oxides, could be avoided.

The effect of harvesting on biomass production and nutrient removal in phototrophic biofilm reactors for effluent polishing

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Boelee, N.C.; Janssen, M.; Temmink, H.; Taparaviciute, L.; Khiewwijit, R.; Janoska, A.; Buisman, C.J.N.; Wijffels, R.H.

2014-01-01

An increasing number of wastewater treatment plants require post-treatment to remove residual nitrogen and phosphorus. This study investigated various harvesting regimes that would achieve consistent low effluent concentrations of nitrogen and phosphorus in a phototrophic biofilm reactor.

Enhanced production of bacterial cellulose by using a biofilm reactor and its material property analysis

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Demirci Ali

2009-07-01

Full Text Available Abstract Bacterial cellulose has been used in the food industry for applications such as low-calorie desserts, salads, and fabricated foods. It has also been used in the paper manufacturing industry to enhance paper strength, the electronics industry in acoustic diaphragms for audio speakers, the pharmaceutical industry as filtration membranes, and in the medical field as wound dressing and artificial skin material. In this study, different types of plastic composite support (PCS were implemented separately within a fermentation medium in order to enhance bacterial cellulose (BC production by Acetobacter xylinum. The optimal composition of nutritious compounds in PCS was chosen based on the amount of BC produced. The selected PCS was implemented within a bioreactor to examine the effects on BC production in a batch fermentation. The produced BC was analyzed using X-ray diffraction (XRD, field emission scanning electron microscopy (FESEM, thermogravimetric analysis (TGA, and dynamic mechanical analysis (DMA. Among thirteen types of PCS, the type SFYR+ was selected as solid support for BC production by A. xylinum in a batch biofilm reactor due to its high nitrogen content, moderate nitrogen leaching rate, and sufficient biomass attached on PCS. The PCS biofilm reactor yielded BC production (7.05 g/L that was 2.5-fold greater than the control (2.82 g/L. The XRD results indicated that the PCS-grown BC exhibited higher crystallinity (93% and similar crystal size (5.2 nm to the control. FESEM results showed the attachment of A. xylinum on PCS, producing an interweaving BC product. TGA results demonstrated that PCS-grown BC had about 95% water retention ability, which was lower than BC produced within suspended-cell reactor. PCS-grown BC also exhibited higher Tmax compared to the control. Finally, DMA results showed that BC from the PCS biofilm reactor increased its mechanical property values, i.e., stress at break and Young's modulus when compared to

Innovative hybrid biological reactors using membranes; Reactores biologico hibrido innovadores utilizando membranas

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Diez, R.; Esteban-Garcia, A. L.; Florio, L. de; Rodriguez-Hernandez, L.; Tejero, I.

2011-07-01

In this paper we present two lines of research on hybrid reactors including the use of membranes, although with different functions: RBPM, biofilm reactors and membranes filtration RBSOM, supported biofilm reactors and oxygen membranes. (Author) 14 refs.

Modelling of toluene biodegradation and biofilm growth in a fixed biofilm reactor

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Arcangeli, Jean-Pierre; Arvin, Erik

1992-01-01

The modelling of aerobic biodegradation of toluene and the associated biofilm growth in a fixed biofilm system is presented. The model includes four biomass fractions, three dissolved components, and seven processes. It is assumed that part of the active biomass is composed of filamentous bacteria...... which grow relatively fast and detach easily, leading to a biomass growth delayed with respect to substrate degradation. The non-filamentous bacteria inside the biofilm also degrade toluene but with a slower rate compared to the filamentous bacteria. Because the nonfilamentous bacteria do not detach......, they are primarily responsible for the biofilm growth. The active biomass decays into biodegradable and ``inert'' dead biomass which is hydrolyzed into soluble products at two different rates. These products are partly degradable by the biomass and constitute the endogenous respiration. The dynamic growth phase...

Modelling of toluene biodegradation and biofilm growth in a fixed biofilm reactor

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Arcangeli, Jean-Pierre; Arvin, Erik

1992-01-01

The modelling of aerobic biodegradation of toluene and the associated biofilm growth in a fixed biofilm system is presented. The model includes four biomass fractions, three dissolved components, and seven processes. It is assumed that part of the active biomass is composed of filamentous bacteria......, they are primarily responsible for the biofilm growth. The active biomass decays into biodegradable and ``inert'' dead biomass which is hydrolyzed into soluble products at two different rates. These products are partly degradable by the biomass and constitute the endogenous respiration. The dynamic growth phase...... which grow relatively fast and detach easily, leading to a biomass growth delayed with respect to substrate degradation. The non-filamentous bacteria inside the biofilm also degrade toluene but with a slower rate compared to the filamentous bacteria. Because the nonfilamentous bacteria do not detach...

High-rate wastewater treatment combining a moving bed biofilm reactor and enhanced particle separation.

Science.gov (United States)

Helness, H; Melin, E; Ulgenes, Y; Järvinen, P; Rasmussen, V; Odegaard, H

2005-01-01

Many cities around the world are looking for compact wastewater treatment alternatives since space for treatment plants is becoming scarce. In this paper development of a new compact, high-rate treatment concept with results from experiments in lab-scale and pilot-scale are presented. The idea behind the treatment concept is that coagulation/floc separation may be used to separate suspended and colloidal matter (resulting in > 70% organic matter removal in normal wastewater) while a high-rate biofilm process (based on Moving Bed biofilm reactors) may be used for removing low molecular weight, easily biodegradable, soluble organic matter. By using flotation for floc/biomass separation, the total residence time for a plant according to this concept will normally be treatment) and sufficient P-removal.

Removal of triazine herbicides from aqueous systems by a biofilm reactor continuously or intermittently operated.

Science.gov (United States)

Sánchez-Sánchez, R; Ahuatzi-Chacón, D; Galíndez-Mayer, J; Ruiz-Ordaz, N; Salmerón-Alcocer, A

2013-10-15

The impact of pesticide movement via overland flow or tile drainage water on the quality of receiving water bodies has been a serious concern in the last decades; thus, for remediation of water contaminated with herbicides, bioreaction systems designed to retain biomass have been proposed. In this context, the aim of this study was to evaluate the atrazine and terbutryn biodegradation capacity of a microbial consortium, immobilized in a biofilm reactor (PBR), packed with fragments of porous volcanic stone. The microbial consortium, constituted by four predominant bacterial strains, was used to degrade a commercial formulation of atrazine and terbutryn in the biofilm reactor, intermittently or continuously operated at volumetric loading rates ranging from 44 to 306 mg L(-1) d(-1). The complete removal of both herbicides was achieved in both systems; however, higher volumetric removal rates were obtained in the continuous system. It was demonstrated that the adjuvants of the commercial formulation of the herbicide significantly enhanced the removal of atrazine and terbutryn. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

A review of investigations on wastewater treatment with MSOBR (membrane supported and oxygenated biofilm reactors); Una revision de las investigaciones sobre el tratamiento de aguas residuales con RBSOM (reactores de biopelicula que emplean membranas con material soporte y medio de oxigenacion)

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Esteban Garcia, A. L.; Tejero Monzon, I.

2007-07-01

MSOBR (membrane supported and oxygenated biofilm reactors) are biological reactors for wastewater treatment in which biofilm support and oxygenation functions are carried out by gas permeable membranes. In these conditions, with oxygen and substratum (carbonaceous, nitroge neous) diffusing into the biofilm from opposite sides, different environments are developed inside the biofilm, allowing simultaneous nitrification, denitrification and carbon removal. Other added advantages, such us the possibility of a high oxygen transfer efficiency or those derived from the absence of bubbles in aeration (minimizing foaming and VOC emissions), have lead numerous research groups to work in the development of different MSOBR systems, with promising results that make possible to consider their practical applicability in the near future. (Author) 69 refs.

Effect of UV on De-NOx performance and microbial community of a hybrid catalytic membrane biofilm reactor

Science.gov (United States)

Chen, Zhouyang; Huang, Zhensha; He, Yiming; Xiao, Xiaoliang; Wei, Zaishan

2018-02-01

The hybrid membrane catalytic biofilm reactor provides a new way of flue gas denitration. However, the effects of UV on denitrification performance, microbial community and microbial nitrogen metabolism are still unknown. In this study, the effects of UV on deNO x performance, nitrification and denitrification, microbial community and microbial nitrogen metabolism of a bench scale N-TiO2/PSF hybrid catalytic membrane biofilm reactor (HCMBR) were evaluated. The change from nature light to UV in the HCMBR leads to the fall of NO removal efficiency of HCMBR from 92.8% to 81.8%. UV affected the microbial community structure, but did not change microbial nitrogen metabolism, as shown by metagenomics sequencing method. Some dominant phyla, such as Gammaproteobacteria, Bacteroidetes, Firmicutes, Actinobacteria, and Alphaproteobacteria, increased in abundance, whereas others, such as Proteobacteria and Betaproteobacteria, decreased. There were nitrification, denitrification, nitrogen fixation, and organic nitrogen metabolism in the HCMBR.

Secreted single‐stranded DNA is involved in the initial phase of biofilm formation by Neisseria gonorrhoeae

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Zweig, Maria; Schork, Sabine; Koerdt, Andrea

2014-01-01

plays an important role in biofilm formation. Many clinical isolates contain a gonococcal genetic island that encodes a type IV secretion system (T4SS). The T4SS of N. gonorrhoeae strain MS11 secretes ssDNA directly into the medium. Biofilm formation, studied in continuous flow‐chamber systems...... was developed in which thermostable fluorescently labelled ssDNA‐ and ss/dsDNA‐binding proteins were used to visualize ssDNA and total DNA in biofilms and planktonic cultures. Remarkably, mainly dsDNA was detected in biofilms of the ssDNA secreting strain. We conclude that the secreted ssDNA facilitates initial...

Determination of the external mass transfer coefficient and influence of mixing intensity in moving bed biofilm reactors for wastewater treatment.

Science.gov (United States)

Nogueira, Bruno L; Pérez, Julio; van Loosdrecht, Mark C M; Secchi, Argimiro R; Dezotti, Márcia; Biscaia, Evaristo C

2015-09-01

In moving bed biofilm reactors (MBBR), the removal of pollutants from wastewater is due to the substrate consumption by bacteria attached on suspended carriers. As a biofilm process, the substrates are transported from the bulk phase to the biofilm passing through a mass transfer resistance layer. This study proposes a methodology to determine the external mass transfer coefficient and identify the influence of the mixing intensity on the conversion process in-situ in MBBR systems. The method allows the determination of the external mass transfer coefficient in the reactor, which is a major advantage when compared to the previous methods that require mimicking hydrodynamics of the reactor in a flow chamber or in a separate vessel. The proposed methodology was evaluated in an aerobic lab-scale system operating with COD removal and nitrification. The impact of the mixing intensity on the conversion rates for ammonium and COD was tested individually. When comparing the effect of mixing intensity on the removal rates of COD and ammonium, a higher apparent external mass transfer resistance was found for ammonium. For the used aeration intensities, the external mass transfer coefficient for ammonium oxidation was ranging from 0.68 to 13.50 m d(-1) and for COD removal 2.9 to 22.4 m d(-1). The lower coefficient range for ammonium oxidation is likely related to the location of nitrifiers deeper in the biofilm. The measurement of external mass transfer rates in MBBR will help in better design and evaluation of MBBR system-based technologies. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Nutrient Removal and Biomass Production in an Outdoor Pilot-Scale Phototrophic Biofilm Reactor for Effluent Polishing

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Boelee, N.C.; Janssen, M.; Temmink, H.; Shrestha, R.; Buisman, C.J.N.; Wijffels, R.H.

2014-01-01

An innovative pilot-scale phototrophic biofilm reactor was evaluated over a 5-month period to determine its capacity to remove nitrogen and phosphorus from Dutch municipal wastewater effluents. The areal biomass production rate ranged between 2.7 and 4.5 g dry weight/m2/day. The areal nitrogen and

Interactive effect of trivalent iron on activated sludge digestion and biofilm structure in attached growth reactor of waste tire rubber.

Science.gov (United States)

Sharafat, Iqra; Saeed, Dania Khalid; Yasmin, Sumera; Imran, Asma; Zafar, Zargona; Hameed, Abdul; Ali, Naeem

2018-01-01

Waste tire rubber (WTR) has been introduced as an alternative, novel media for biofilm development in several experimental systems including attached growth bioreactors. In this context, four laboratory-scale static batch bioreactors containing WTR as a support material for biofilm development were run under anoxic condition for 90 days using waste activated sludge as an inoculum under the influence of different concentrations (2.5, 6.5, 8.5 mg/l) of trivalent ferric iron (Fe 3+ ). The data revealed that activated sludge with a Fe 3+ concentration of 8.5 mg/l supported the maximum bacterial biomass [4.73E + 10 CFU/ml cm 2 ]; besides, it removed 38% more Chemical oxygen demand compared to Fe 3+ free condition from the reactor. Biochemical testing and 16S rDNA phylogenetic analysis of WTR-derived biofilm communities further suggested the role of varying concentrations of Fe 3+ on the density and diversity of members of Enterobacteria(ceae), ammonium (AOB) and nitrite oxidizing bacteria. Furthermore, Fluorescent in situ hybridization with phylogenetic oligonucleotide probes and confocal laser scanning microscopy of WTR biofilms indicated a significant increase in density of eubacteria (3.00E + 01 to.05E + 02 cells/cm 2 ) and beta proteobacteria (8.10E + 01 to 1.42E + 02 cells/cm 2 ), respectively, with an increase in Fe 3+ concentration in the reactors, whereas, the cell density of gamma proteobacteria in biofilms decreased.

Degradation of TCE using sequential anaerobic biofilm and aerobic immobilized bed reactor

Science.gov (United States)

Chapatwala, Kirit D.; Babu, G. R. V.; Baresi, Larry; Trunzo, Richard M.

1995-01-01

Bacteria capable of degrading trichloroethylene (TCE) were isolated from contaminated wastewaters and soil sites. The aerobic cultures were identified as Pseudomonas aeruginosa (four species) and Pseudomonas fluorescens. The optimal conditions for the growth of aerobic cultures were determined. The minimal inhibitory concentration values of TCE for Pseudomonas sps. were also determined. The aerobic cells were immobilized in calcium alginate in the form of beads. Degradation of TCE by the anaerobic and dichloroethylene (DCE) by aerobic cultures was studied using dual reactors - anaerobic biofilm and aerobic immobilized bed reactor. The minimal mineral salt (MMS) medium saturated with TCE was pumped at the rate of 1 ml per hour into the anaerobic reactor. The MMS medium saturated with DCE and supplemented with xylenes and toluene (3 ppm each) was pumped at the rate of 1 ml per hour into the fluidized air-uplift-type reactor containing the immobilized aerobic cells. The concentrations of TCE and DCE and the metabolites formed during their degradation by the anaerobic and aerobic cultures were monitored by GC. The preliminary study suggests that the anaerobic and aerobic cultures of our isolates can degrade TCE and DCE.

Comparative three-dimensional analysis of initial biofilm formation on three orthodontic bracket materials.

Science.gov (United States)

Dittmer, Marc Philipp; Hellemann, Carolina Fuchslocher; Grade, Sebastian; Heuer, Wieland; Stiesch, Meike; Schwestka-Polly, Rainer; Demling, Anton Phillip

2015-04-10

The purpose of the present study was to investigate and compare early biofilm formation on biomaterials, which are being used in contemporary fixed orthodontic treatment. This study comprised 10 healthy volunteers (5 females and 5 males) with a mean age of 27.3 +-3.7 years. Three slabs of different orthodontic materials (stainless steel, gold and ceramic) were placed in randomized order on a splint in the mandibular molar region. Splints were inserted intraorally for 48 h. Then the slabs were removed from the splints and the biofilms were stained with a two color fluorescence assay for bacterial viability (LIVE/DEAD BacLight-Bacterial Viability Kit 7012, Invitrogen, Mount Waverley, Australia). The quantitative biofilm formation was analyzed by using confocal laser scanning microscopy (CLSM). The biofilm coverage was 32.7 ± 37.7% on stainless steel surfaces, 59.5 ± 40.0% on gold surfaces and 56.8 ± 43.6% on ceramic surfaces. Statistical analysis showed significant differences in biofilm coverage between the tested materials (p=0.033). The Wilcoxon test demonstrated significantly lower biofilm coverage on steel compared to gold (p=0.011). Biofilm height on stainless steel surfaces was 4.0 ± 7.3 μm, on gold surfaces 6.0 ± 6.6 μm and on ceramic 6.5 ± 6.0 μm. The Friedman test revealed no significant differences between the tested materials (p=0.150). Pairwise comparison demonstrated significant differences between stainless steel and gold (p=0.047). Our results indicate that initial biofilm formation seemed to be less on stainless steel surfaces compared with other traditional materials in a short-term observation. Future studies should examine whether there is a difference in long-term biofilm accumulation between stainless steel, gold and ceramic brackets.

Enhancing mass transfer and ethanol production in syngas fermentation of Clostridium carboxidivorans P7 through a monolithic biofilm reactor

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Shen, Yanwen; Brown, Robert; Wen, Zhiyou

2014-01-01

Highlights: • Syngas fermentation process is limited by gas-to-liquid mass transfer. • A novel monolithic biofilm reactor (MBR) for efficient mass transfer was developed. • MBR with slug flow resulted in higher k L a than bubble column reactor (BCR). • MBR enhanced ethanol productivity by 53% compared to BCR. • MBR was demonstrated as a promising reactor configuration for syngas fermentation. - Abstract: Syngas fermentation is a promising process for producing fuels and chemicals from lignocellulosic biomass. Currently syngas fermentation faces several engineering challenges, with gas-to-liquid mass transfer limitation representing the major bottleneck. The aim of this work is to evaluate the performance of a monolithic biofilm reactor (MBR) as a novel reactor configuration for syngas fermentation. The volumetric mass transfer coefficient (k L a) of the MBR was evaluated in abiotic conditions within a wide range of gas flow rates (i.e., gas velocity in monolithic channels) and liquid flow rates (i.e., liquid velocity in the channels). The k L a values of the MBR were higher than those of a controlled bubble column reactor (BCR) in certain conditions, due to the slug flow pattern in the monolithic channels. A continuous syngas fermentation using Clostridium carboxidivorans P7 was conducted in the MBR system under varying operational conditions, with the variables including syngas flow rate, liquid recirculation between the monolithic column and reservoir, and dilution rate. It was found that the syngas fermentation performance – measured by such parameters as syngas utilization efficiency, ethanol concentration and productivity, and ratio of ethanol to acetic acid – depended not only on the mass transfer efficiency but also on the biofouling or abrading of the biofilm attached on the monolithic channel wall. At a condition of 300 mL/min of syngas flow rate, 500 mL/min of liquid flow rate, and 0.48 day −1 of dilution rate, the MBR produced much higher

Determination of the profile of DO and its mass transferring coefficient in a biofilm reactor packed with semi-suspended bio-carriers.

Science.gov (United States)

Tang, Bing; Song, Haoliang; Bin, Liying; Huang, Shaosong; Zhang, Wenxiang; Fu, Fenglian; Zhao, Yiliang; Chen, Qianyu

2017-10-01

The work aims at illustrating the profile of DO and its mass transferring process in a biofilm reactor packed with a novel semi-suspended bio-carrier, and further revealing the main factors that influence the mass transferring coefficient of DO within the biofilm. Results showed that the biofilm was very easy to attach and grow on the semi-suspended bio-carrier, which obviously changed the DO profile inside and outside the biofilm. The semi-suspended bio-carrier caused three different mass transfer zones occurring in the bioreactor, including the zones of bulk solution, boundary layer and biofilm, in which, the boundary layer zone had an obvious higher mass transfer resistance. Increasing the aeration rate might improve the hydrodynamic conditions in the bioreactor and accelerate the mass transfer of DO, but it also detached the biofilm from the surface of bio-carrier, which reduced the consumption of DO, and accordingly, decreased the DO gradient in the bioreactor. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Residual structure of Streptococcus mutans biofilm following complete disinfection favors secondary bacterial adhesion and biofilm re-development.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Tatsuya Ohsumi

Full Text Available Chemical disinfection of oral biofilms often leaves biofilm structures intact. This study aimed to examine whether the residual structure promotes secondary bacterial adhesion. Streptococcus mutans biofilms generated on resin-composite disks in a rotating disc reactor were disinfected completely with 70% isopropyl alcohol, and were again cultured in the same reactor after resupplying with the same bacterial solution. Specimens were subjected to fluorescence confocal laser scanning microscopy, viable cell counts and PCR-Invader assay in order to observe and quantify secondarily adhered cells. Fluorescence microscopic analysis, particularly after longitudinal cryosectioning, demonstrated stratified patterns of viable cells on the disinfected biofilm structure. Viable cell counts of test specimens were significantly higher than those of controls, and increased according to the amount of residual structure and culture period. Linear regression analysis exhibited a high correlation between viable and total cell counts. It was concluded that disinfected biofilm structures favored secondary bacterial adhesion.

Adsorption effect on the dynamic response of a biochemical reaction in a biofilm reactor for wastewater treatment

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Tsuneda, S.; Inoue, Y.; Auresenia, J.; Hirata, A. [Department of Chemical Engineering, Waseda University, 3-4-1 Ohkubo, Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo 169-8555 (Japan)

2003-09-01

The dynamic behavior of a completely mixed, three-phase, fluidized bed biofilm reactor treating simulated domestic wastewater was studied with step changes in inlet concentration. It was found that the response curves showed second order characteristics, i.e., as the inlet concentration was increased, the outlet concentration also increased, reached a peak value and then decreased until it leveled to a new steady-state value corresponding to the new inlet concentration level. Nonlinear regression analysis was performed using Monod-type rate equations with and without an adsorption term. As a result, the theoretical curve of the kinetic model that incorporates the adsorption term has best fit to the actual response in most cases. Thus, it was concluded that the adsorption of a substrate onto the biofilm and carrier particles has a significant effect on the dynamic response in biofilm processes. (Abstract Copyright [2003], Wiley Periodicals, Inc.)

From Mouth to Model: Combining in vivo and in vitro oral biofilm growth

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Barbara Klug

2016-09-01

Full Text Available Oral biofilm studies based on simplified experimental setups are difficult to interpret. Models are limited mostly by the number of bacterial species observed and the insufficiency of artificial media. Few studies have attempted to overcome these limitations and to cultivate native oral biofilm. This study aimed to grow oral biofilm in vivo before transfer to a biofilm reactor for ex-situ incubation. The in-vitro survival of this oral biofilm and the changes in bacterial composition over time were observed. Six human enamel-dentin slabs embedded buccally in dental splints were used as biofilm carriers. Fitted individually to the upper jaw of 25 non-smoking male volunteers, the splints were worn continuously for 48 hours. During this time, tooth-brushing and alcohol-consumption were not permitted. The biofilm was then transferred on slabs into a biofilm reactor and incubated there for 48 hours while being nourished in BHI medium. Live/dead staining and confocal laser scanning microscopy were used to observe bacterial survival over four points in time: directly after removal (T0 and after 1h (T1, 24h (T2 and 48h (T3 of incubation. Bacterial diversity at T0 and T3 was compared with 454-pyrosequencing. Fluorescence in situ hybridization was performed to show specific taxa. Survival curves were calculated with a specially designed MATLAB script. Acacia and QIIME 1.9.1 were used to process pyrosequencing data. SPSS 21.0 and R 3.3.1 were used for statistical analysis.After initial fluctuations at T1, survival curves mostly showed approximation of the bacterial numbers to the initial level at T3. Pyrosequencing analysis resulted in 117 OTUs common to all samples. The genera Streptococcus and Veillonella (both Firmicutes dominated at T0 and T3. They make up two thirds of the biofilm. Genera with lower relative abundance had grown significantly at T3. FISH analysis confirmed the pyrosequencing results, i.e. the predominant staining of Firmicutes. We

Innovative hybrid biological reactors using membranes

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Diez, R.; Esteban-Garcia, A. L.; Florio, L. de; Rodriguez-Hernandez, L.; Tejero, I.

2011-01-01

In this paper we present two lines of research on hybrid reactors including the use of membranes, although with different functions: RBPM, biofilm reactors and membranes filtration RBSOM, supported biofilm reactors and oxygen membranes. (Author) 14 refs.

Initiating Events for Multi-Reactor Plant Sites

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Muhlheim, Michael David [Oak Ridge National Lab. (ORNL), Oak Ridge, TN (United States); Flanagan, George F. [Oak Ridge National Lab. (ORNL), Oak Ridge, TN (United States); Poore, III, Willis P. [Oak Ridge National Lab. (ORNL), Oak Ridge, TN (United States)

2014-09-01

Inherent in the design of modular reactors is the increased likelihood of events that initiate at a single reactor affecting another reactor. Because of the increased level of interactions between reactors, it is apparent that the Probabilistic Risk Assessments (PRAs) for modular reactor designs need to specifically address the increased interactions and dependencies.

Inactivation model for disinfection of biofilms in drinking water

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Karlicki, A.; O'Leary, K.C.; Gagnon, G.A.

2002-01-01

The purpose of the project was to investigate experimentally the effects of free chlorine, monochloramine and chlorine dioxide on the removal of biofilm growth in water as it applies to drinking water in distribution systems. In particular, biofilm kill for a particular dosage of disinfectant was measured as a function of time for each disinfectant over a range of disinfectant concentrations. These results were used to formulate concentration-time (Ct) inactivation values for each disinfectant to compare the efficacy of the three disinfectants for biofilm control. The biofilm reactor system consisted of a 125 mL columns, each containing tightly packed 3 mm glass beads on which heterotrophic bacterial biofilm is established. Following an initial biofilm inoculation period, the glass beads were removed from the columns and placed into glass jars for disinfection with free chlorine, monochloramine and chlorine dioxide. Cell counts were determined on a time series basis with the goal of achieving a Ct inactivation model that is similar to models presently used for inactivation of suspended cells. Ultimately this research could be used to develop a rationale method for setting regulatory values for secondary disinfection in drinking water distribution systems, which presently in only a few states and provinces. (author)

Nitrogen Removal from Milking Center Wastewater via Simultaneous Nitrification and Denitrification Using a Biofilm Filtration Reactor

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Seung-Gun Won

2015-06-01

Full Text Available Milking center wastewater (MCW has a relatively low ratio of carbon to nitrogen (C/N ratio, which should be separately managed from livestock manure due to the negative impacts of manure nutrients and harmful effects on down-stream in the livestock manure process with respect to the microbial growth. Simultaneous nitrification and denitrification (SND is linked to inhibition of the second nitrification and reduces around 40% of the carbonaceous energy available for denitrification. Thus, this study was conducted to find the optimal operational conditions for the treatment of MCW using an attached-growth biofilm reactor; i.e., nitrogen loading rate (NLR of 0.14, 0.28, 0.43, and 0.58 kg m−3 d−1 and aeration rate of 0.06, 0.12, and 0.24 m3 h−1 were evaluated and the comparison of air-diffuser position between one-third and bottom of the reactor was conducted. Four sand packed-bed reactors with the effective volume of 2.5 L were prepared and initially an air-diffuser was placed at one third from the bottom of the reactor. After the adaptation period of 2 weeks, SND was observed at all four reactors and the optimal NLR of 0.45 kg m−3 d−1 was found as a threshold value to obtain higher nitrogen removal efficiency. Dissolved oxygen (DO as one of key operational conditions was measured during the experiment and the reactor with an aeration rate of 0.12 m3 h−1 showed the best performance of NH4-N removal and the higher total nitrogen removal efficiency through SND with appropriate DO level of ~0.5 mg DO L−1. The air-diffuser position at one third from the bottom of the reactor resulted in better nitrogen removal than at the bottom position. Consequently, nitrogen in MCW with a low C/N ratio of 2.15 was successfully removed without the addition of external carbon sources.

Effects of phosphate addition on biofilm bacterial communities and water quality in annular reactors equipped with stainless steel and ductile cast iron pipes.

Science.gov (United States)

Jang, Hyun-Jung; Choi, Young-June; Ro, Hee-Myong; Ka, Jong-Ok

2012-02-01

The impact of orthophosphate addition on biofilm formation and water quality was studied in corrosion-resistant stainless steel (STS) pipe and corrosion-susceptible ductile cast iron (DCI) pipe using cultivation and culture-independent approaches. Sample coupons of DCI pipe and STS pipe were installed in annular reactors, which were operated for 9 months under hydraulic conditions similar to a domestic plumbing system. Addition of 5 mg/L of phosphate to the plumbing systems, under low residual chlorine conditions, promoted a more significant growth of biofilm and led to a greater rate reduction of disinfection by-products in DCI pipe than in STS pipe. While the level of THMs (trihalomethanes) increased under conditions of low biofilm concentration, the levels of HAAs (halo acetic acids) and CH (chloral hydrate) decreased in all cases in proportion to the amount of biofilm. It was also observed that chloroform, the main species of THM, was not readily decomposed biologically and decomposition was not proportional to the biofilm concentration; however, it was easily biodegraded after the addition of phosphate. Analysis of the 16S rDNA sequences of 102 biofilm isolates revealed that Proteobacteria (50%) was the most frequently detected phylum, followed by Firmicutes (10%) and Actinobacteria (2%), with 37% of the bacteria unclassified. Bradyrhizobium was the dominant genus on corroded DCI pipe, while Sphingomonas was predominant on non-corroded STS pipe. Methylobacterium and Afipia were detected only in the reactor without added phosphate. PCR-DGGE analysis showed that the diversity of species in biofilm tended to increase when phosphate was added regardless of the pipe material, indicating that phosphate addition upset the biological stability in the plumbing systems.

INITIAL MICROBIAL ADHESION IS A DETERMINANT FOR THE STRENGTH OF BIOFILM ADHESION

NARCIS (Netherlands)

BUSSCHER, HJ; VANDERMEI, HC; Bos, R.R.M.

1995-01-01

This paper presents a hypothesis on the importance of initial microbial adhesion in the overall process of biofilm formation. The hypothesis is based on the realization that dynamic shear conditions exist in many environments, such as in the oral cavity, or on rocks and ship hulls. Recognizing that

Transcriptomic and proteomic analyses of Desulfovibrio vulgaris biofilms: carbon and energy flow contribute to the distinct biofilm growth state.

Science.gov (United States)

Clark, Melinda E; He, Zhili; Redding, Alyssa M; Joachimiak, Marcin P; Keasling, Jay D; Zhou, Jizhong Z; Arkin, Adam P; Mukhopadhyay, Aindrila; Fields, Matthew W

2012-04-16

Desulfovibrio vulgaris Hildenborough is a sulfate-reducing bacterium (SRB) that is intensively studied in the context of metal corrosion and heavy-metal bioremediation, and SRB populations are commonly observed in pipe and subsurface environments as surface-associated populations. In order to elucidate physiological changes associated with biofilm growth at both the transcript and protein level, transcriptomic and proteomic analyses were done on mature biofilm cells and compared to both batch and reactor planktonic populations. The biofilms were cultivated with lactate and sulfate in a continuously fed biofilm reactor, and compared to both batch and reactor planktonic populations. The functional genomic analysis demonstrated that biofilm cells were different compared to planktonic cells, and the majority of altered abundances for genes and proteins were annotated as hypothetical (unknown function), energy conservation, amino acid metabolism, and signal transduction. Genes and proteins that showed similar trends in detected levels were particularly involved in energy conservation such as increases in an annotated ech hydrogenase, formate dehydrogenase, pyruvate:ferredoxin oxidoreductase, and rnf oxidoreductase, and the biofilm cells had elevated formate dehydrogenase activity. Several other hydrogenases and formate dehydrogenases also showed an increased protein level, while decreased transcript and protein levels were observed for putative coo hydrogenase as well as a lactate permease and hyp hydrogenases for biofilm cells. Genes annotated for amino acid synthesis and nitrogen utilization were also predominant changers within the biofilm state. Ribosomal transcripts and proteins were notably decreased within the biofilm cells compared to exponential-phase cells but were not as low as levels observed in planktonic, stationary-phase cells. Several putative, extracellular proteins (DVU1012, 1545) were also detected in the extracellular fraction from biofilm cells

Early canine plaque biofilms: characterization of key bacterial interactions involved in initial colonization of enamel.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Lucy J Holcombe

Full Text Available Periodontal disease (PD is a significant problem in dogs affecting between 44% and 63.6% of the population. The main etiological agent for PD is plaque, a microbial biofilm that colonizes teeth and causes inflammation of the gingiva. Understanding how this biofilm initiates on the tooth surface is of central importance in developing interventions against PD. Although the stages of plaque development on human teeth have been well characterized little is known about how canine plaque develops. Recent studies of the canine oral microbiome have revealed distinct differences between the canine and human oral environments and the bacterial communities they support, particularly with respect to healthy plaque. These differences mean knowledge about the nature of plaque formation in humans may not be directly translatable to dogs. The aim of this study was to identify the bacterial species important in the early stages of canine plaque formation in vivo and then use isolates of these species in a laboratory biofilm model to develop an understanding of the sequential processes which take place during the initial colonization of enamel. Supra-gingival plaque samples were collected from 12 dogs at 24 and 48 hour time points following a full mouth descale and polish. Pyrosequencing of the 16S rDNA identified 134 operational taxonomic units after statistical analysis. The species with the highest relative abundance were Bergeyella zoohelcum, Neisseria shayeganii and a Moraxella species. Streptococcal species, which tend to dominate early human plaque biofilms, had very low relative abundance. In vitro testing of biofilm formation identified five primary colonizer species, three of which belonged to the genus Neisseria. Using these pioneer bacteria as a starting point, viable two and three species communities were developed. Combining in vivo and in vitro data has led us to construct novel models of how the early canine plaque biofilm develops.

Removal of absorbable organic halides (aox) from recycled paper mill effluent using granular activated carbon-sequencing batch biofilm reactor (GAC-SBBR)

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Mohamad, A.B.; Rahman, R.A.; Kadhum, A.A.H.; Abdullah, S.R.S.; Shaari, S.

2006-01-01

Paper mills generate varieties of pollutants depending upon the type of the pulping process. Paper mill wastewaters have high chemical oxygen demand (COD) and colour, indicating high concentrations of recalcitrant organics. The study was conducted employing a Granular Activated Carbon - Sequencing Batch Biofilm Reactor (GAC-SBBR), containing 3.0 L working volume, operated in aerobic condition and packed with 200 g/L of 2-3 mm granular activated carbon (coconut shells) as a medium for biofilm growth. For the first couple of month, the HRT was 36 hours and the HRT of this reactor was adjusted to 24 hours in order to evaluate the performance of the system. The treated wastewater sample for these studies came from a recycle paper factory from MNI Sdn Bhd with 4 different samples characteristics. The adsorbable organic halides (AOX) to be determined and treated were Pentachlorophenol (PCP), 2,3,4,5-Tetrachlorophenol (2,3,4,5-TeCP), 2,4,6-Trichlorophenol (2,4,6-TCP), 2,4-Dichlorophenol ( 2,4-DCP), 2-Chlorophenol (CP) and phenol. Results showed that, the biofilm attached onto granular activated carbon (GAC) could substantially remove these recalcitrant in the wastewater. More over, results from the studies showed that high removal was achieved by the biofilm SBR with 10-100% removal of AOX and depending on HRT. (Author)

Optimization of a horizontal-flow biofilm reactor for the removal of methane at low temperatures.

Science.gov (United States)

Clifford, E; Kennelly, C; Walsh, R; Gerrity, S; Reilly, E O; Collins, G

2012-10-01

Three pilot-scale, horizontal-flow biofilm reactors (HFBRs 1-3) were used to treat methane (CH4)-contaminated air to assess the potential of this technology to manage emissions from agricultural activities, waste and wastewater treatment facilities, and landfills. The study was conducted over two phases (Phase 1, lasting 90 days and Phase 2, lasting 45 days). The reactors were operated at 10 degrees C (typical of ambient air and wastewater temperatures in northern Europe), and were simultaneously dosed with CH4-contaminated air and a synthetic wastewater (SWW). The influent loading rates to the reactors were 8.6 g CH4/m3/hr (4.3 g CH4/m2 TPSA/hr; where TPSA is top plan surface area). Despite the low operating temperatures, an overall average removal of 4.63 g CH4/m3/day was observed during Phase 2. The maximum removal efficiency (RE) for the trial was 88%. Potential (maximum) rates of methane oxidation were measured and indicated that biofilm samples taken from various regions in the HFBRs had mostly equal CH4 removal potential. In situ activity rates were dependent on which part of the reactor samples were obtained. The results indicate the potential of the HFBR, a simple and robust technology, to biologically treat CH4 emissions. The results of this study indicate that the HFBR technology could be effectively applied to the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions from wastewater treatment plants and agricultural facilities at lower temperatures common to northern Europe. This could reduce the carbon footprint of waste treatment and agricultural livestock facilities. Activity tests indicate that methanotrophic communities can be supported at these temperatures. Furthermore, these data can lead to improved reactor design and optimization by allowing conditions to be engineered to allow for improved removal rates, particularly at lower temperatures. The technology is simple to construct and operate, and with some optimization of the liquid phase to improve mass

Population dynamics of biofilm development during start-up of a butyrate-degrading fluidized-bed reactor

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Zellner, G.; Geveke, M.; Diekmann, H. (Hannover Univ. (Germany). Inst. fuer Mikrobiologie); Conway de Macario, E. (New York State Dept. of Health, Albany, NY (United States). Wadsworth Center for Laboratories and Research)

1991-12-01

Population dynamics during start-up of a fluidized-bed reactor with butyrate or butyrate plus acetate as sole substrates as well as biofilm development on the sand substratum were studied microbiologically, immunologically and by scanning electron microscopy. An adapted syntrophic consortium consisting of Syntrophospora sp., Methanothrix soehngenii, Methanosarcina mazei and Methanobrevibacter arboriphilus or Methanogenium sp. achieved high-rate butyrate degradation to methane and carbon dioxide. Desulfovibrio sp., Methanocorpusculum sp., and Methanobacterium sp. were also present in lower numbers. Immunological analysis demonstrated methanogens antigenically related to Methanobrevibacter ruminantium M1, Methanosarcina mazei S6, M. thermophila TM1, Methanobrevibacter arboriphilus AZ and Methanothrix soehngenii Opfikon in the biofilm. Immunological analysis also showed that the organisms isolated from the butyrate-degrading culture used as a source of inoculum were related to M. soehngenii Opfikon, Methanobacterium formicium MF and Methanospirillum hungatei JF1. (orig.).

Enhanced nitrogen removal from piggery wastewater with high NH4+ and low COD/TN ratio in a novel upflow microaerobic biofilm reactor.

Science.gov (United States)

Meng, Jia; Li, Jiuling; Li, Jianzheng; Antwi, Philip; Deng, Kaiwen; Nan, Jun; Xu, Pianpian

2018-02-01

To enhance nutrient removal more cost-efficiently in microaerobic process treating piggery wastewater characterized by high ammonium (NH 4 + -N) and low chemical oxygen demand (COD) to total nitrogen (TN) ratio, a novel upflow microaerobic biofilm reactor (UMBR) was constructed and the efficiency in nutrient removal was evaluated with various influent COD/TN ratios and reflux ratios. The results showed that the biofilm on the carriers had increased the biomass in the UMBR and enhanced the enrichment of slow-growth-rate bacteria such as nitrifiers, denitrifiers and anammox bacteria. The packed bed allowed the microaerobic biofilm process perform well at a low reflux ratio of 35 with a NH 4 + -N and TN removal as high as 93.1% and 89.9%, respectively. Compared with the previously developed upflow microaerobic sludge reactor, the UMBR had not changed the dominant anammox approach to nitrogen removal, but was more cost-efficiently in treating organic wastewater with high NH 4 + -N and low COD/TN ratio. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Paired methods to measure biofilm killing and removal: a case study with Penicillin G treatment of Staphylococcus aureus biofilm.

Science.gov (United States)

Ausbacher, D; Lorenz, L; Pitts, B; Stewart, P S; Goeres, D M

2018-03-01

Biofilms are microbial aggregates that show high tolerance to antibiotic treatments in vitro and in vivo. Killing and removal are both important in biofilm control, therefore methods that measure these two mechanisms were evaluated in a parallel experimental design. Kill was measured using the single tube method (ASTM method E2871) and removal was determined by video microscopy and image analysis using a new treatment flow cell. The advantage of the parallel test design is that both methods used biofilm covered coupons harvested from a CDC biofilm reactor, a well-established and standardized biofilm growth method. The control Staphylococcus aureus biofilms treated with growth medium increased by 0·6 logs during a 3-h contact time. Efficacy testing showed biofilms exposed to 400 μmol l -1 penicillin G decreased by only 0·3 logs. Interestingly, time-lapse confocal scanning laser microscopy revealed that penicillin G treatment dispersed the biofilm despite being an ineffective killing agent. In addition, no biofilm removal was detected when assays were performed in 96-well plates. These results illustrate that biofilm behaviour and impact of treatments can vary substantially when assayed by different methods. Measuring both killing and removal with well-characterized methods will be crucial for the discovery of new anti-biofilm strategies. Biofilms are tolerant to antimicrobial treatments and can lead to persistent infections. Finding new anti-biofilm strategies and understanding their mode-of-action is therefore of high importance. Historically, antimicrobial testing has focused on measuring the decrease in viability. While kill data are undeniably important, measuring biofilm disruption provides equally useful information. Starting with biofilm grown in the same reactor, we paired assessment of biofilm removal using a new treatment-flow-cell and real-time microscopy with kill data collected using the single tube method (ASTM E2871). Pairing these two methods

Sequential Aeration of Membrane-Aerated Biofilm Reactors for High-Rate Autotrophic Nitrogen Removal: Experimental Demonstration

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Pellicer i Nàcher, Carles; Sun, Sheng-Peng; Lackner, Susanne

2010-01-01

One-stage autotrophic nitrogen (N) removal, requiring the simultaneous activity of aerobic and anaerobic ammonium oxidizing bacteria (AOB and AnAOB), can be obtained in spatially redox-stratified biofilms. However, previous experience with Membrane-Aerated Biofilm Reactors (MABRs) has revealed...... a difficulty in reducing the abundance and activity of nitrite oxidizing bacteria (NOB), which drastically lowers process efficiency. Here we show how sequential aeration is an effective strategy to attain autotrophic N removal in MABRs: Two separate MABRs, which displayed limited or no N removal under...... continuous aeration, could remove more than 5.5 g N/m2/day (at loads up to 8 g N/m2/day) by controlled variation of sequential aeration regimes. Daily averaged ratios of the surficial loads of O2 (oxygen) to NH4+ (ammonium) (LO2/LNH4) were close to 1.73 at this optimum. Real-time quantitative PCR based on 16...

Selective degradation of ibuprofen and clofibric acid in two model river biofilm systems.

Science.gov (United States)

Winkler, M; Lawrence, J R; Neu, T R

2001-09-01

A field survey indicated that the Elbe and Saale Rivers were contaminated with both clofibric acid and ibuprofen. In Elbe River water we could detect the metabolite hydroxy-ibuprofen. Analyses of the city of Saskatoon sewage effluent discharged to the South Saskatchewan river detected clofibric acid but neither ibuprofen nor any metabolite. Laboratory studies indicated that the pharmaceutical ibuprofen was readily degraded in a river biofilm reactor. Two metabolites were detected and identified as hydroxy- and carboxy-ibuprofen. Both metabolites were observed to degrade in the biofilm reactors. However, in human metabolism the metabolite carboxy-ibuprofen appears and degrades second whereas the opposite occurs in biofilm systems. In biofilms the pharmacologically inactive stereoisomere of ibuprofen is degraded predominantly. In contrast, clofibric acid was not biologically degraded during the experimental period of 21 days. Similar results were obtained using biofilms developed using waters from either the South Saskatchewan or Elbe River. In a sterile reactor no losses of ibuprofen were observed. These results suggested that abiotic losses and adsorption played only a minimal role in the fate of the pharmaceuticals in the river biofilm reactors.

Biofilm formation by designed co-cultures of Caldicellulosiruptor species as a means to improve hydrogen productivity.

Science.gov (United States)

Pawar, Sudhanshu S; Vongkumpeang, Thitiwut; Grey, Carl; van Niel, Ed Wj

2015-01-01

Caldicellulosiruptor species have gained a reputation as being among the best microorganisms to produce hydrogen (H2) due to possession of a combination of appropriate features. However, due to their low volumetric H2 productivities (Q H2), Caldicellulosiruptor species cannot be considered for any viable biohydrogen production process yet. In this study, we evaluate biofilm forming potential of pure and co-cultures of Caldicellulosiruptor saccharolyticus and Caldicellulosiruptor owensensis in continuously stirred tank reactors (CSTR) and up-flow anaerobic (UA) reactors. We also evaluate biofilms as a means to retain biomass in the reactor and its influence on Q H2. Moreover, we explore the factors influencing the formation of biofilm. Co-cultures of C. saccharolyticus and C. owensensis form substantially more biofilm than formed by C. owensensis alone. Biofilms improved substrate conversion in both of the reactor systems, but improved the Q H2 only in the UA reactor. When grown in the presence of each other's culture supernatant, both C. saccharolyticus and C. owensensis were positively influenced on their individual growth and H2 production. Unlike the CSTR, UA reactors allowed retention of C. saccharolyticus and C. owensensis when subjected to very high substrate loading rates. In the UA reactor, maximum Q H2 (approximately 20 mmol · L(-1)  · h(-1)) was obtained only with granular sludge as the carrier material. In the CSTR, stirring negatively affected biofilm formation. Whereas, a clear correlation was observed between elevated (>40 μM) intracellular levels of the secondary messenger bis-(3'-5')-cyclic dimeric guanosine monophosphate (c-di-GMP) and biofilm formation. In co-cultures C. saccharolyticus fortified the trade of biofilm formation by C. owensensis, which was mediated by elevated levels of c-di-GMP in C. owensensis. These biofilms were effective in retaining biomass of both species in the reactor and improving Q H2 in a UA reactor using

Dynamical Analysis of a Continuous Stirred-Tank Reactor with the Formation of Biofilms for Wastewater Treatment

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Karen López Buriticá

2015-01-01

Full Text Available This paper analyzes the dynamics of a system that models the formation of biofilms in a continuous stirred-tank reactor (CSTR when it is utilized for wastewater treatment. The growth rate of the microorganisms is modeled using two different kinetics, Monod and Haldane kinetics, with the goal of studying the influence of each in the system. The equilibrium points are identified through a stability analysis, and the bifurcations found are characterized.

Microbial succession within an anaerobic sequencing batch biofilm reactor (ASBBR treating cane vinasse at 55ºC

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Maria Magdalena Ferreira Ribas

2009-08-01

Full Text Available The aim of this work was to investigate the anaerobic biomass formation capable of treating vinasse from the production of sugar cane alcohol, which was evolved within an anaerobic sequencing batch biofilm reactor (ASBBR as immobilized biomass on cubes of polyurethane foam at the temperature of 55ºC. The reactor was inoculated with mesophilic granular sludge originally treating poultry slaughterhouse wastewater. The evolution of the biofilm in the polyurethane foam matrices was assessed during seven experimental phases which were thus characterized by the changes in the organic matter concentrations as COD (1.0 to 20.0 g/L. Biomass characterization proceeded with the examination of sludge samples under optical and scanning electron microscopy. The reactor showed high microbial morphological diversity along the trial. The predominance of Methanosaeta-like cells was observed up to the organic load of 2.5 gCOD/L.d. On the other hand, Methanosarcinalike microorganisms were the predominant archaeal population within the foam matrices at high organic loading ratios above 3.3 gCOD/L.d. This was suggested to be associated to a higher specific rate of acetate consumption by the later organisms.Este trabalho investigou a formação de um biofilme anaeróbio capaz de tratar vinhaça da produção de álcool de cana-de-açúcar, que evoluiu dentro de um reator operado em bateladas seqüenciais com biofilme (ASBBR tendo a biomassa imobilizada em cubos de espuma de poliuretano na temperatura de 55ºC. O reator foi inoculado com lodo granular mesofílico tratando água residuária de abatedouro de aves. A evolução do biofilme nas matrizes de espuma de poliuretano foi observada durante sete fases experimentais que foram caracterizadas por mudanças nas concentrações de matéria orgânica como DQO (1,0 a 20,0 g/L. A caracterização da biomassa foi feita por exames de amostras do lodo em microscopia ótica e eletrônica de varredura. O reator apresentou

Bioreduction of para-chloronitrobenzene in drinking water using a continuous stirred hydrogen-based hollow fiber membrane biofilm reactor

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Xia Siqing, E-mail: siqingxia@gmail.com [State Key Laboratory of Pollution Control and Resource Reuse, College of Environmental Science and Engineering, Tongji University, Shanghai 200092 (China); Li Haixiang; Zhang Zhiqiang [State Key Laboratory of Pollution Control and Resource Reuse, College of Environmental Science and Engineering, Tongji University, Shanghai 200092 (China); Zhang Yanhao [College of Municipal and Environmental Engineering, Shandong Jianzhu University, Jinan 250101 (China); Yang Xin; Jia Renyong; Xie Kang; Xu Xiaotian [State Key Laboratory of Pollution Control and Resource Reuse, College of Environmental Science and Engineering, Tongji University, Shanghai 200092 (China)

2011-08-30

Highlights: {yields} We designed a novel hollow fiber membrane biofilm reactor for p-CNB removal. {yields} Biotransformation pathway of p-CNB in the reactor was investigated in this study. {yields} Nitrate and sulfate competed more strongly for hydrogen than p-CNB. {yields} This reactor achieved high removal efficiency and hydrogen utilization efficiency. - Abstract: para-Chloronitrobenzene (p-CNB) is particularly harmful and persistent in the environment and is one of the priority pollutants. A feasible degradation pathway for p-CNB is bioreduction under anaerobic conditions. Bioreduction of p-CNB using a hydrogen-based hollow fiber membrane biofilm reactor (HFMBfR) was investigated in the present study. The experiment results revealed that p-CNB was firstly reduced to para-chloraniline (p-CAN) as an intermediate and then reduced to aniline that involves nitro reduction and reductive dechlorination with H{sub 2} as the electron donor. The HFMBfR had reduced p-CNB to a major extent with a maximum removal percentage of 99.3% at an influent p-CNB concentration of 2 mg/L and a hydraulic residence time of 4.8 h, which corresponded to a p-CNB flux of 0.058 g/m{sup 2} d. The H{sub 2} availability, p-CNB loading, and the presence of competing electron acceptors affected the p-CNB reduction. Flux analysis indicated that the reduction of p-CNB and p-CAN could consume fewer electrons than that of nitrate and sulfate. The HFMBfR had high average hydrogen utilization efficiencies at different steady states in this experiment, with a maximum efficiency at 98.2%.

Biofilm Formation on Reverse Osmosis Membranes Is Initiated and Dominated by Sphingomonas spp.▿ †

Science.gov (United States)

Bereschenko, L. A.; Stams, A. J. M.; Euverink, G. J. W.; van Loosdrecht, M. C. M.

2010-01-01

The initial formation and spatiotemporal development of microbial biofilm layers on surfaces of new and clean reverse osmosis (RO) membranes and feed-side spacers were monitored in situ using flow cells placed in parallel with the RO system of a full-scale water treatment plant. The feed water of the RO system had been treated by the sequential application of coagulation, flocculation, sand filtration, ultrafiltration, and cartridge filtration processes. The design of the flow cells permitted the production of permeate under cross-flow conditions similar to those in spiral-wound RO membrane elements of the full-scale system. Membrane autopsies were done after 4, 8, 16, and 32 days of flow-cell operation. A combination of molecular (fluorescence in situ hybridization [FISH], denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis [DGGE], and cloning) and microscopic (field emission scanning electron, epifluorescence, and confocal laser scanning microscopy) techniques was applied to analyze the abundance, composition, architecture, and three-dimensional structure of biofilm communities. The results of the study point out the unique role of Sphingomonas spp. in the initial formation and subsequent maturation of biofilms on the RO membrane and feed-side spacer surfaces. PMID:20190090

Shaping the growth behaviour of biofilms initiated from bacterial aggregates

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Melaugh, Gavin; Hutchison, Jaime; Kragh, Kasper Nørskov

2016-01-01

Bacterial biofilms are usually assumed to originate from individual cells deposited on a surface. However, many biofilm-forming bacteria tend to aggregate in the planktonic phase so that it is possible that many natural and infectious biofilms originate wholly or partially from pre-formed cell ag...

The long-term effects of wall attached microalgal biofilm on algae-based wastewater treatment

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Su, Yanyan; Mennerich, Artur; Urban, Brigitte

2016-01-01

The influence of the reactor wall attached biofilm on the nutrient removal performance was investigated in an open photobioreactor during long-term operation. Total nitrogen and phosphorus removal efficiencies were statistically similar between reactor with (reactor A) and without (reactor B......) biofilm at the Hydraulic Retention Time (HRT) of 18, 13.5 and 9days. When the HRT reduced to 8days, total nitrogen and phosphorus removal efficiencies in the reactor A were 42.95±5.11% and 97.97±1.12%, respectively, while significant lower removal efficiencies (38.06±5.80% for total nitrogen and 83.......14±8.16% for phosphorus) were obtained in the reactor B. The VSS concentrations throughout the test were statistically similar for the two reactors, with a mean value of 0.63±0.25g/l for reactor A and 0.69±0.20g/l for reactor B. This study indicated that the reactor wall attached biofilm supported high phosphorus...

Modeling of simultaneous anaerobic methane and ammonium oxidation in a membrane biofilm reactor.

Science.gov (United States)

Chen, Xueming; Guo, Jianhua; Shi, Ying; Hu, Shihu; Yuan, Zhiguo; Ni, Bing-Jie

2014-08-19

Nitrogen removal by using the synergy of denitrifying anaerobic methane oxidation (DAMO) and anaerobic ammonium oxidation (Anammox) microorganisms in a membrane biofilm reactor (MBfR) has previously been demonstrated experimentally. In this work, a mathematical model is developed to describe the simultaneous anaerobic methane and ammonium oxidation by DAMO and Anammox microorganisms in an MBfR for the first time. In this model, DAMO archaea convert nitrate, both externally fed and/or produced by Anammox, to nitrite, with methane as the electron donor. Anammox and DAMO bacteria jointly remove the nitrite fed/produced, with ammonium and methane as the electron donor, respectively. The model is successfully calibrated and validated using the long-term (over 400 days) dynamic experimental data from the MBfR, as well as two independent batch tests at different operational stages of the MBfR. The model satisfactorily describes the methane oxidation and nitrogen conversion data from the system. Modeling results show the concentration gradients of methane and nitrogen would cause stratification of the biofilm, where Anammox bacteria mainly grow in the biofilm layer close to the bulk liquid and DAMO organisms attach close to the membrane surface. The low surface methane loadings result in a low fraction of DAMO microorganisms, but the high surface methane loadings would lead to overgrowth of DAMO bacteria, which would compete with Anammox for nitrite and decrease the fraction of Anammox bacteria. The results suggest an optimal methane supply under the given condition should be applied not only to benefit the nitrogen removal but also to avoid potential methane emissions.

Removal of gaseous trichloroethylene (TCE) in a composite membrane biofilm reactor.

Science.gov (United States)

Kumar, Amit; Vercruyssen, Aline; Dewulf, Jo; Lens, Piet; Van Langenhove, Herman

2012-01-01

A membrane biofilm reactor (MBfR) was investigated for the degradation of trichloroethylene (TCE) vapors inoculated by Burkholderia vietnamiensis G4. Toluene (TOL) was used as the primary substrate. The MBfR was loaded sequentially with TOL, TCE (or both) during 110 days. In this study, a maximum steady-state TCE removal efficiency of 23% and a maximum volumetric elimination capacity (EC) of 2.1 g m(-3) h(-1) was achieved. A surface area based maximum elimination capacity (EC(m)) of 4.2 × 10(-3) g m(-2) h(-1) was observed, which is 2-10 times higher than reported in other gas phase biological treatment studies. However, further research is needed to optimize the TCE feeding cycle and to evaluate the inhibiting effects of TCE and its intermediates on TOL biodegradation.

Biofilm processes in treating mariculture wastewater may be a reservoir of antibiotic resistance genes

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Li, Shuai; Zhang, Shenghua; Ye, Chengsong; Lin, Wenfang; Zhang, Menglu; Chen, Lihua; Li, Jinmei; Yu, Xin

2017-01-01

Antibiotics are heavily used in Chinese mariculture, but only a small portion of the added antibiotics are absorbed by living creatures. Biofilm processes are universally used in mariculture wastewater treatment. In this study, removal of antibiotics (norfloxacin, rifampicin, and oxytetracycline) from wastewater by moving bed biofilm reactors (MBBRs) and the influence of antibiotics on reactor biofilm were investigated. The results demonstrated that there was no significant effect of sub-μg/L–sub-mg/L concentrations of antibiotics on TOC removal. Moreover, the relative abundance of antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs) and antibiotic resistance bacteria (ARB) in MBBR biofilm increased because of selective pressure of antibiotics. In addition, antibiotics decreased the diversity of the biofilm bacterial community and altered bacterial community structure. These findings provide an empirical basis for the development of appropriate practices for mariculture, and suggest that disinfection and advanced oxidation should be applied to eliminate antibiotics, ARGs, and ARB from mariculture wastewater. - Highlights: • The removal of antibiotics by Moving Bed Biofilm Reactors (MBBR) was investigated. • Biofilm process such as MBBR had little effect on the removal of the antibiotics. • The antibiotics decreased the diversity of biofilm bacterial community and altered bacterial community structure. • Biofilm processes in treating mariculture wastewater may be a reservoir of antibiotic resistance genes.

Citric acid application for denitrification process support in biofilm reactor.

Science.gov (United States)

Mielcarek, Artur; Rodziewicz, Joanna; Janczukowicz, Wojciech; Dabrowska, Dorota; Ciesielski, Slawomir; Thornton, Arthur; Struk-Sokołowska, Joanna

2017-03-01

The study demonstrated that citric acid, as an organic carbon source, can improve denitrification in Anaerobic Sequencing Batch Biofilm Reactor (AnSBBR). The consumption rate of the organic substrate and the denitrification rate were lower during the period of the reactor's acclimatization (cycles 1-60; 71.5 mgCOD L -1  h -1 and 17.81 mgN L -1  h -1 , respectively) than under the steady state conditions (cycles 61-180; 143.8 mgCOD L -1  h -1 and 24.38 mgN L -1  h -1 ). The biomass yield coefficient reached 0.04 ± 0.02 mgTSS· mgCOD re -1 (0.22 ± 0.09 mgTSS mgN re -1 ). Observations revealed the diversified microbiological ecology of the denitrifying bacteria. Citric acid was used mainly by bacteria representing the Trichoccocus genus, which represented above 40% of the sample during the first phase of the process (cycles 1-60). In the second phase (cycles 61-180) the microorganisms the genera that consumed the acetate and formate, as the result of citric acid decomposition were Propionibacterium (5.74%), Agrobacterium (5.23%), Flavobacterium (1.32%), Sphaerotilus (1.35%), Erysipelothrix (1.08%). Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Carbonaceous materials in petrochemical wastewater before and after treatment in an aerated submerged fixed-bed biofilm reactor

OpenAIRE

Trojanowicz Karol; Wojcik Wlodzimierz

2016-01-01

Results of the studies for determining fractions of organic contaminants in a pretreated petrochemical wastewater flowing into a pilot Aerated Submerged Fixed-Bed Biofilm Reactor (ASFBBR) are presented and discussed. The method of chemical oxygen demand (COD) fractionation consisted of physical tests and biological assays. It was found that the main part of the total COD in the petrochemical, pretreated wastewater was soluble organic substance with average value of 57.6%. The fractions of par...

Decolourization of remazol black-5 textile dyes using moving bed bio-film reactor

Science.gov (United States)

Pratiwi, R.; Notodarmojo, S.; Helmy, Q.

2018-01-01

The desizing and dyeing processes in the textile industries produces wastewaster containing high concentration of organic matter and colour, so it needs treatment before released to environment. In this research, removal of azo dye (Remazol Black 5/RB 5) and organic as COD was performed using Moving Bed Biofilm Reactor (MBBR). MBBR is biological treatment process with attached growth media system that can increase removal of organic matter in textile wastewater. The effectiveness of ozonation as pre-treatment process to increase the removal efficiency in MBBR was studied. The results showed that in MBBR batch system with detention time of 1 hour, pre-treatment with ozonation prior to MBBR process able to increase the colour removal efficiency of up to 86.74%. While on the reactor without ozone pre-treatment, the colour removal efficiency of up to 68.6% was achieved. From the continuous reactor experiments found that both colour and COD removal efficiency depends on time detention of RB-5 dyes in the system. The higher of detention time, the higher of colour and COD removal efficiency. It was found that optimum removal of colour and COD was achieved in 24 hour detention time with its efficiency of 96.9% and 89.13%, respectively.

Impact of Pre-Initiators on PSA in Research Reactor

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Ochirbat, Chimedtseren [KAIST, Daejeon (Korea, Republic of); Kim, Sok Chul [Korea Institute of Nuclear Safety, Daejeon (Korea, Republic of)

2014-10-15

Most of nuclear power plants had already conducted PSA work to examine their plant safety for identifying vulnerability and preparing the mitigating strategies for severe accident. However, the PSA for research reactor has been conducted limitedly comparing with nuclear power plants due to lack of awareness and resources. Most of PSA results demonstrated that human failure events (HFEs) take a major role of risk contributor in terms of core damage frequency. HFEs are categorized as the following three types: pre-initiating event interaction (e.g., maintenance of errors, testing errors, calibration errors), initiating event related interactions (e.g., human error causing loss of power, human error causing system trip), and post-initiating event (e.g., all action actuating manual safety system backup of an automatic system). Lack of resources and utilization of research reactor calls a vicious circle in terms of safety degradation. The safety degradation poses the vulnerability of human failure during research reactor utilization process. Typically, evaluation of pre-initiators related to test and maintenance are not taking into account in PSA for research reactors. This paper aims to investigate the impact of pre-initiating events related to test and maintenance activities on PSA results in terms of core damage frequency for a research reactor.

Impact of Pre-Initiators on PSA in Research Reactor

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ochirbat, Chimedtseren; Kim, Sok Chul

2014-01-01

Most of nuclear power plants had already conducted PSA work to examine their plant safety for identifying vulnerability and preparing the mitigating strategies for severe accident. However, the PSA for research reactor has been conducted limitedly comparing with nuclear power plants due to lack of awareness and resources. Most of PSA results demonstrated that human failure events (HFEs) take a major role of risk contributor in terms of core damage frequency. HFEs are categorized as the following three types: pre-initiating event interaction (e.g., maintenance of errors, testing errors, calibration errors), initiating event related interactions (e.g., human error causing loss of power, human error causing system trip), and post-initiating event (e.g., all action actuating manual safety system backup of an automatic system). Lack of resources and utilization of research reactor calls a vicious circle in terms of safety degradation. The safety degradation poses the vulnerability of human failure during research reactor utilization process. Typically, evaluation of pre-initiators related to test and maintenance are not taking into account in PSA for research reactors. This paper aims to investigate the impact of pre-initiating events related to test and maintenance activities on PSA results in terms of core damage frequency for a research reactor

Role of initial contamination levels, biofilm maturity and presence of salt and fat on desiccation survival of Listeria monocytogenes on stainless steel surfaces.

Science.gov (United States)

Hingston, Patricia A; Stea, Emma C; Knøchel, Susanne; Hansen, Truelstrup

2013-10-01

This study investigated the effect of initial contamination levels, biofilm maturity and presence of salt and fatty food soils on desiccation survival of Listeria monocytogenes on stainless steel (SS) coupons. L. monocytogenes cultures grown (at 15 °C for 48 h) in Tryptic Soy Broth with 1% glucose (TSB-glu) containing either 0.5 or 5% (w/v) NaCl were re-suspended in TSB-glu containing either 0.5 or 5% NaCl and used to contaminate SS coupons at levels of 3.5, 5.5, and 7.5 log CFU/cm². Desiccation (at 15 °C for 20 days, 43% RH) commenced immediately (non-biofilm) or following biofilm formation (at 15 °C for 48 h, 100% RH). To study the impact of food lipids, non-biofilm L. monocytogenes cells were suspended in TSB-glu containing either canola oil (5-10%) or lard (20-60%) and desiccated as above on SS coupons. Following desiccation for 20 days, survivors decreased by 1.4-3.7 log CFU/cm² for non-biofilm L. monocytogenes cells. The contamination level had no significant (p > 0.05) effect on survival kinetics. SEM micrographs showed mature biofilms on coupons initially contaminated with 5.5 and 7.5 log CFU/cm². Mature biofilm cells were significantly (p biofilms formed by the lowest contamination level. Besides biofilm maturity/formation, previous osmoadaptation, exposure to lard (20-60%) or salt (5%) during desiccation significantly (p biofilms and salty or fatty soils on food contact surfaces. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Inhibition and recovery of nitrification in treating real coal gasification wastewater with moving bed biofilm reactor

Institute of Scientific and Technical Information of China (English)

Huiqiang Li; Hongjun Han; Maoan Du; Wei Wang

2011-01-01

Moving bed biofilm reactor (MBBR) was used to treat real coal gasification wastewater.Nitrification of the MBBR was inhibited almost completely during start-up period.Sudden increase of influent total NH3 concentration was the main factor inducing nitrification inhibition.Increasing DO concentration in the bulk liquid (from 2 to 3 mg/L) had little effect on nitrification recovery.Nitrification of the MBBR recovered partially by the addition of nitrifying sludge into the reactor and almost ceased within 5 days.Nitrification ratio of the MBBR achieved 65％ within 12 days by increasing dilute ratio of the influent wastewater with tap water.The ratio of nitrification decreased to 25％ when infiuent COD concentration increased from 650 to 1000 mg/L after nitrification recovery and recovered 70％for another 4 days.

Increased Zinc Availability Enhances Initial Aggregation and Biofilm Formation of Streptococcus pneumoniae.

Science.gov (United States)

Brown, Lindsey R; Caulkins, Rachel C; Schartel, Tyler E; Rosch, Jason W; Honsa, Erin S; Schultz-Cherry, Stacey; Meliopoulos, Victoria A; Cherry, Sean; Thornton, Justin A

2017-01-01

Bacteria growing within biofilms are protected from antibiotics and the immune system. Within these structures, horizontal transfer of genes encoding virulence factors, and promoting antibiotic resistance occurs, making biofilms an extremely important aspect of pneumococcal colonization and persistence. Identifying environmental cues that contribute to the formation of biofilms is critical to understanding pneumococcal colonization and infection. Iron has been shown to be essential for the formation of pneumococcal biofilms; however, the role of other physiologically important metals such as copper, zinc, and manganese has been largely neglected. In this study, we investigated the effect of metals on pneumococcal aggregation and early biofilm formation. Our results show that biofilms increase as zinc concentrations increase. The effect was found to be zinc-specific, as altering copper and manganese concentrations did not affect biofilm formation. Scanning electron microscopy analysis revealed structural differences between biofilms grown in varying concentrations of zinc. Analysis of biofilm formation in a mutant strain lacking the peroxide-generating enzyme pyruvate oxidase, SpxB, revealed that zinc does not protect against pneumococcal H 2 O 2 . Further, analysis of a mutant strain lacking the major autolysin, LytA, indicated the role of zinc as a negative regulator of LytA-dependent autolysis, which could affect biofilm formation. Additionally, analysis of cell-cell aggregation via plating and microscopy revealed that high concentrations of zinc contribute to intercellular interaction of pneumococci. The findings from this study demonstrate that metal availability contributes to the ability of pneumococci to form aggregates and subsequently, biofilms.

Assessing the antimicrobial activity of zinc oxide thin films using disk diffusion and biofilm reactor

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Gittard, Shaun D.; Perfect, John R.; Monteiro-Riviere, Nancy A.; Wei Wei; Jin Chunming; Narayan, Roger J.

2009-01-01

The electronic and chemical properties of semiconductor materials may be useful in preventing growth of microorganisms. In this article, in vitro methods for assessing microbial growth on semiconductor materials will be presented. The structural and biological properties of silicon wafers coated with zinc oxide thin films were evaluated using atomic force microscopy, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, and MTT viability assay. The antimicrobial properties of zinc oxide thin films were established using disk diffusion and CDC Biofilm Reactor studies. Our results suggest that zinc oxide and other semiconductor materials may play a leading role in providing antimicrobial functionality to the next-generation medical devices

Pyrosequencing analysis yields comprehensive assessment of microbial communities in pilot-scale two-stage membrane biofilm reactors.

Science.gov (United States)

Ontiveros-Valencia, Aura; Tang, Youneng; Zhao, He-Ping; Friese, David; Overstreet, Ryan; Smith, Jennifer; Evans, Patrick; Rittmann, Bruce E; Krajmalnik-Brown, Rosa

2014-07-01

We studied the microbial community structure of pilot two-stage membrane biofilm reactors (MBfRs) designed to reduce nitrate (NO3(-)) and perchlorate (ClO4(-)) in contaminated groundwater. The groundwater also contained oxygen (O2) and sulfate (SO4(2-)), which became important electron sinks that affected the NO3(-) and ClO4(-) removal rates. Using pyrosequencing, we elucidated how important phylotypes of each "primary" microbial group, i.e., denitrifying bacteria (DB), perchlorate-reducing bacteria (PRB), and sulfate-reducing bacteria (SRB), responded to changes in electron-acceptor loading. UniFrac, principal coordinate analysis (PCoA), and diversity analyses documented that the microbial community of biofilms sampled when the MBfRs had a high acceptor loading were phylogenetically distant from and less diverse than the microbial community of biofilm samples with lower acceptor loadings. Diminished acceptor loading led to SO4(2-) reduction in the lag MBfR, which allowed Desulfovibrionales (an SRB) and Thiothrichales (sulfur-oxidizers) to thrive through S cycling. As a result of this cooperative relationship, they competed effectively with DB/PRB phylotypes such as Xanthomonadales and Rhodobacterales. Thus, pyrosequencing illustrated that while DB, PRB, and SRB responded predictably to changes in acceptor loading, a decrease in total acceptor loading led to important shifts within the "primary" groups, the onset of other members (e.g., Thiothrichales), and overall greater diversity.

The characteristics of extracellular polymeric substances and soluble microbial products in moving bed biofilm reactor-membrane bioreactor.

Science.gov (United States)

Duan, Liang; Jiang, Wei; Song, Yonghui; Xia, Siqing; Hermanowicz, Slawomir W

2013-11-01

The characteristics of extracellular polymeric substances (EPS) and soluble microbial products (SMP) in conventional membrane bioreactor (MBR) and in moving bed biofilm reactor-membrane bioreactors (MBBR-MBR) were investigated in long-term (170 days) experiments. The results showed that all reactors had high removal efficiency of ammonium and COD, despite very different fouling conditions. The MBBR-MBR with media fill ratio of 26.7% had much lower total membrane resistance and no obvious fouling were detected during the whole operation. In contrast, MBR and MBBR-MBR with lower and higher media fill experienced more significant fouling. Low fouling at optimum fill ratio may be due to the higher percentage of small molecular size (100 kDa) of EPS and SMP in the reactor. The composition of EPS and SMP affected fouling due to different O-H bonds in hydroxyl functional groups, and less polysaccharides and lipids. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Pseudomonas aeruginosa biofilm infections

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Tolker-Nielsen, Tim

2014-01-01

Bacteria in natural, industrial and clinical settings predominantly live in biofilms, i.e., sessile structured microbial communities encased in self-produced extracellular matrix material. One of the most important characteristics of microbial biofilms is that the resident bacteria display...... a remarkable increased tolerance toward antimicrobial attack. Biofilms formed by opportunistic pathogenic bacteria are involved in devastating persistent medical device-associated infections, and chronic infections in individuals who are immune-compromised or otherwise impaired in the host defense. Because...... the use of conventional antimicrobial compounds in many cases cannot eradicate biofilms, there is an urgent need to develop alternative measures to combat biofilm infections. The present review is focussed on the important opportunistic pathogen and biofilm model organism Pseudomonas aeruginosa. Initially...

Treatment of pesticide wastewater by moving-bed biofilm reactor combined with Fenton-coagulation pretreatment

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Chen Sheng [School of Municipal and Environmental Engineering, Harbin Institute of Technology, Harbin 150090 (China)]. E-mail: hitchensheng@126.com; Sun Dezhi [School of Municipal and Environmental Engineering, Harbin Institute of Technology, Harbin 150090 (China); Chung, J.-S. [School of Municipal and Environmental Engineering, Harbin Institute of Technology, Harbin 150090 (China); Department of Chemical Engineering, Pohang University of Science and Technology, Pohang 790-784 (Korea, Republic of)

2007-06-01

In order to treat pesticide wastewater having high chemical oxygen demand (COD) value and poor biodegradability, Fenton-coagulation process was first used to reduce COD and improve biodegradability and then was followed by biological treatment. Optimal experimental conditions for the Fenton process were determined to be Fe{sup 2+} concentration of 40 mmol/L and H{sub 2}O{sub 2} dose of 97 mmol/L at initial pH 3. The interaction mechanism of organophosphorous pesticide and hydroxyl radicals was suggested to be the breakage of the P=S double bond and formation of sulfate ions and various organic intermediates, followed by formation of phosphate and consequent oxidation of intermediates. For the subsequent biological treatment, 3.2 g/L Ca(OH){sub 2} was added to adjust the pH and further coagulate the pollutants. The COD value could be evidently decreased from 33,700 to 9300 mg/L and the ratio of biological oxygen demand (BOD{sub 5}) to COD of the wastewater was enhanced to over 0.47 by Fenton oxidation and coagulation. The pre-treated wastewater was then subjected to biological oxidation by using moving-bed biofilm reactor (MBBR) inside which tube chip type bio-carriers were fluidized upon air bubbling. Higher than 85% of COD removal efficiency could be achieved when the bio-carrier volume fraction was kept more than 20% by feeding the pretreated wastewater containing 3000 mg/L of inlet COD at one day of hydraulic retention time (HRT), but a noticeable decrease in the COD removal efficiency when the carrier volume was decreased down to 10%, only 72% was observed. With the improvement of biodegradability by using Fenton pretreatment, also due to the high concentration of biomass and high biofilm activity using the fluidizing bio-carriers, high removal efficiency and stable operation could be achieved in the biological process even at a high COD loading of 37.5 gCOD/(m{sup 2} carrier day)

Treatment of pesticide wastewater by moving-bed biofilm reactor combined with Fenton-coagulation pretreatment

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Chen Sheng; Sun Dezhi; Chung, J.-S.

2007-01-01

In order to treat pesticide wastewater having high chemical oxygen demand (COD) value and poor biodegradability, Fenton-coagulation process was first used to reduce COD and improve biodegradability and then was followed by biological treatment. Optimal experimental conditions for the Fenton process were determined to be Fe 2+ concentration of 40 mmol/L and H 2 O 2 dose of 97 mmol/L at initial pH 3. The interaction mechanism of organophosphorous pesticide and hydroxyl radicals was suggested to be the breakage of the P=S double bond and formation of sulfate ions and various organic intermediates, followed by formation of phosphate and consequent oxidation of intermediates. For the subsequent biological treatment, 3.2 g/L Ca(OH) 2 was added to adjust the pH and further coagulate the pollutants. The COD value could be evidently decreased from 33,700 to 9300 mg/L and the ratio of biological oxygen demand (BOD 5 ) to COD of the wastewater was enhanced to over 0.47 by Fenton oxidation and coagulation. The pre-treated wastewater was then subjected to biological oxidation by using moving-bed biofilm reactor (MBBR) inside which tube chip type bio-carriers were fluidized upon air bubbling. Higher than 85% of COD removal efficiency could be achieved when the bio-carrier volume fraction was kept more than 20% by feeding the pretreated wastewater containing 3000 mg/L of inlet COD at one day of hydraulic retention time (HRT), but a noticeable decrease in the COD removal efficiency when the carrier volume was decreased down to 10%, only 72% was observed. With the improvement of biodegradability by using Fenton pretreatment, also due to the high concentration of biomass and high biofilm activity using the fluidizing bio-carriers, high removal efficiency and stable operation could be achieved in the biological process even at a high COD loading of 37.5 gCOD/(m 2 carrier day)

Development and validation of a microfluidic reactor for biofilm monitoring via optical methods

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Meyer, Mariana T; Roy, Varnika; Bentley, William E; Ghodssi, Reza

2011-01-01

We present the design, fabrication, and verification of a microfluidic platform for optical monitoring of bacterial biofilms. Biofilm formation characterizes the majority of infections caused by bacteria that are developing increased resistance to traditional antibiotic treatment, necessitating the development of reliable tools not only for study of biofilm growth, but also for in situ examination of the response to applied stimuli. The presented platform was used to continuously and non-invasively observe the dependence of Escherichia coli biofilm formation on bacterial signaling by monitoring the change in biofilm optical density over the growth period. Results were corroborated by measurement of biofilm morphological properties via confocal microscopy, and statistical analysis was applied to verify the repeatability of observed optical and morphological differences in the biofilms formed. The presented platform will be used to characterize biofilm formation and response in drug discovery applications

Curli fimbriae are conditionally required in Escherichia coli O157:H7 for initial attachment and biofilm formation.

Science.gov (United States)

Carter, Michelle Qiu; Louie, Jacqueline W; Feng, Doris; Zhong, Wayne; Brandl, Maria T

2016-08-01

Several species of enteric pathogens produce curli fimbriae, which may affect their interaction with surfaces and other microbes in nonhost environments. Here we used two Escherichia coli O157:H7 outbreak strains with distinct genotypes to understand the role of curli in surface attachment and biofilm formation in several systems relevant to fresh produce production and processing. Curli significantly enhanced the initial attachment of E. coli O157:H7 to spinach leaves and stainless steel surfaces by 5-fold. Curli was also required for E. coli O157:H7 biofilm formation on stainless steel and enhanced biofilm production on glass by 19-27 fold in LB no-salt broth. However, this contribution was not observed when cells were grown in sterile spinach lysates. Furthermore, both strains of E. coli O157:H7 produced minimal biofilms on polypropylene in LB no-salt broth but considerable amounts in spinach lysates. Under the latter conditions, curli appeared to slightly increase biofilm production. Importantly, curli played an essential role in the formation of mixed biofilm by E. coli O157:H7 and plant-associated microorganisms in spinach leaf washes, as revealed by confocal microscopy. Little or no E. coli O157:H7 biofilms were detected at 4 °C, supporting the importance of temperature control in postharvest and produce processing environments. Published by Elsevier Ltd.

Effects of hydrophilicity and microtopography of titanium implant surfaces on initial supragingival plaque biofilm formation. A pilot study.

Science.gov (United States)

Schwarz, F; Sculean, A; Wieland, M; Horn, N; Nuesry, E; Bube, C; Becker, J

2007-12-01

The aim of the present pilot study is to investigate the effects of hydrophilicity and microtopography of titanium implant surfaces on initial supragingival plaque biofilm formation. Test specimens were manufactured from commercially pure grade 2 titanium according to one of the following procedures: polished (P), acid-etched (A), chemically modified (mod) A (modA), sand-blasted large grit and A (SLA), and modSLA. Intraoral splints were used to collect an in vivo supragingival plaque biofilm in each group at 12, 24, and 48 h. Stained plaque biofilm (PB) areas (%) were morphometrically assessed. All groups exhibited significant increases of mean PB areas over time (p P > A =modA (p modSLA = P > A = modA (p A = modA (p < 0.001; respectively). Within the limits of a pilot study, it could be concluded that hydrophilicity had no apparent effect, while microtopography had a highly uneven and unpredictable influence on supragingival plaque biofilm formation.

Prediction of moving bed biofilm reactor (MBBR) performance for the treatment of aniline using artificial neural networks (ANN)

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Delnavaz, M. [Tarbiat Modares University, Civil Engineering Department, Environmental Engineering Division, Tehran (Iran, Islamic Republic of); Ayati, B., E-mail: ayati_bi@modares.ac.ir [Tarbiat Modares University, Civil Engineering Department, Environmental Engineering Division, Tehran (Iran, Islamic Republic of); Ganjidoust, H. [Tarbiat Modares University, Civil Engineering Department, Environmental Engineering Division, Tehran (Iran, Islamic Republic of)

2010-07-15

In this study, the results of 1-year efficiency forecasting using artificial neural networks (ANN) models of a moving bed biofilm reactor (MBBR) for a toxic and hard biodegradable aniline removal were investigated. The reactor was operated in an aerobic batch and continuous condition with 50% by volume which was filled with light expanded clay aggregate (LECA) as carrier. Efficiency evaluation of the reactors was obtained at different retention time (RT) of 8, 24, 48 and 72 h with an influent COD from 100 to 4000 mg/L. Exploratory data analysis was used to detect relationships between the data and dependent evaluated one. The appropriate architecture of the neural network models was determined using several steps of training and testing of the models. The ANN-based models were found to provide an efficient and a robust tool in predicting MBBR performance for treating aromatic amine compounds.

Calibration of hydrodynamic behavior and biokinetics for TOC removal modeling in biofilm reactors under different hydraulic conditions.

Science.gov (United States)

Zeng, Ming; Soric, Audrey; Roche, Nicolas

2013-09-01

In this study, total organic carbon (TOC) biodegradation was simulated by GPS-X software in biofilm reactors with carriers of plastic rings and glass beads under different hydraulic conditions. Hydrodynamic model by retention time distribution and biokinetic measurement by in-situ batch test served as two significant parts of model calibration. Experimental results showed that TOC removal efficiency was stable in both media due to the enough height of column, although the actual hydraulic volume changed during the variation of hydraulic condition. Simulated TOC removal efficiencies were close to experimental ones with low theil inequality coefficient values (below 0.15). Compared with glass beads, more TOC was removed in the filter with plastic rings due to the larger actual hydraulic volume and lower half saturation coefficient in spite of its lower maximum specific growth rate of biofilm, which highlighted the importance of calibrating hydrodynamic behavior and biokinetics. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Monochloramine Cometabolism by Nitrifying Biofilm Relevant ...

Science.gov (United States)

Recently, biological monochloramine removal (i.e., cometabolism) by a pure culture ammonia–oxidizing bacteria, Nitrosomonas europaea, and a nitrifying mixed–culture have been shown to increase monochloramine demand. Although important, these previous suspended culture batch kinetic experiments were not representative of drinking water distribution systems where bacteria grow predominantly as biofilm attached to pipe walls or sediments and physiological differences may exist between suspension and biofilm growth. Therefore, the current research was an important next step in extending the previous results to investigate monochloramine cometabolism by biofilm grown in annular reactors under drinking water relevant conditions. Estimated monochloramine cometabolism kinetics were similar to those of ammonia metabolism, and monochloramine cometabolism was a significant loss mechanism (25–40% of the observed monochloramine loss). These results demonstrated that monochloramine cometabolism occurred in drinking water relevant nitrifying biofilm; thus, cometabolism may be a significant contribution to monochloramine loss during nitrification episodes in distribution systems. Investigate whether or not nitrifying biofilm can biologically transform monochloramine under drinking water relevant conditions.

Devising a measuring system for the determination of diffusion coefficients in biofilm; Entwicklung eines Messsystems zur Bestimmung von Diffusionskoeffizienten im Biofilm

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Berndt, K. [Fachhochschule Magdeburg (Germany). Fachbereich Chemie; Horn, H. [Fachhochschule Magdeburg (Germany). Hydro- und Abfallchemie

1999-07-01

The diffusion coefficient of a substrate in a biofilm is an important parameter for simulating mass turnover and transport in biofilm systems. The described method permits determining the diffusion coefficients in biofilms grown under defined substrate and hydrodynamic conditions in a laboratory reactor. (orig.) [German] Der Diffusionskoeffizient des Substrats in Biofilmen ist ein wichtiger Parameter fuer die Simulation von Stoffwechsel und -transport in Biofilmsystemen. Die dargestellte Methode erlaubt die Bestimmung des Diffusionskoeffizienten in Biofilmen, die unter definierten Substrat- und hydrodynamischen Bedingungen in einem Laborreaktor gewachsen sind. (orig.)

Bacterial biofilms: prokaryotic adventures in multicellularity

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Webb, J.S.; Givskov, Michael Christian; Kjelleberg, S.

2003-01-01

The development of bacterial biofilms includes both the initial social behavior of undifferentiated cells, as well as cell death and differentiation in the mature biofilm, and displays several striking similarities with higher organisms. Recent advances in the field provide new insight...... into differentiation and cell death events in bacterial biofilm development and propose that biofilms have an unexpected level of multicellularity....

The role of acid incubation in rapid immobilization of hydrogen-producing culture in anaerobic upflow column reactors

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Zhang, Zhen-Peng; Tay, Joo-Hwa [School of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Nanyang Technological University (Singapore); Institute of Environmental Science and Engineering, Nanyang Technological University (Singapore); Show, Kuan-Yeow [Faculty of Science, Engineering and Technology, University Tunku Abdul Rahman, 31900 Kampar, Perak (Malaysia); Liang, David Tee [Institute of Environmental Science and Engineering, Nanyang Technological University (Singapore); Lee, Duu-Jong [Department of Chemical Engineering, National Taiwan University, Taipei 10617 (China); Su, Ay [Department of Mechanical Engineering, Fuel Cell Center, Yuan-Ze University, Taoyuan 320 (China)

2008-10-15

An approach of acidification was examined on formation of hydrogen-producing granules and biofilms in upflow column-shaped reactors. The reactors were fed with synthetic glucose wastewater and operated at 37 C and pH 5.5. The acclimated anaerobic culture was inoculated in four reactors designated R1, R2, R3 and R4, with R3 and R4 filled with granular activated carbon as support medium. To unveil the roles of acidification, microbial culture in R2 and R3 was subject to an acid incubation for 24 h by shifting the culture pH from 5.5 to 2.0. The experimental results suggested that the acidification substantially accelerated microbial granulation, but not biofilm formation. Microbial activities were inhibited by the acid incubation for about 78 h, resulting in the retarded formation of biofilms of the acidified culture. Reducing culture pH resulted in improvement in cell surface physicochemical properties favoring microbial adhesion and immobilization. Zeta potential increased from -25.3 mV to 11.9 mV, hydrophobicity in terms of contact angle improved from 31 to 38 and production of extracellular polymers increased from 66 mg/g-VSS to 136 mg/g-VSS. As a result of the formation of granules and biofilms, high hydrogen production rates of 6.98 and 7.49 L/L h were achieved in granule-based and biofilm-based reactors, respectively. It is concluded that acid incubation is an efficient means to initiate the rapid formation of granules by regulating the surface characteristics of microbial culture. The use of support media as starting nuclei may result in rapid formation of biofilms without the acidification. (author)

The role of acid incubation in rapid immobilization of hydrogen-producing culture in anaerobic upflow column reactors

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Zhang, Zhen-Peng; Tay, Joo-Hwa; Show, Kuan-Yeow; Liang, David Tee; Lee, Duu-Jong; Su, Ay

2008-01-01

An approach of acidification was examined on formation of hydrogen-producing granules and biofilms in upflow column-shaped reactors. The reactors were fed with synthetic glucose wastewater and operated at 37 C and pH 5.5. The acclimated anaerobic culture was inoculated in four reactors designated R1, R2, R3 and R4, with R3 and R4 filled with granular activated carbon as support medium. To unveil the roles of acidification, microbial culture in R2 and R3 was subject to an acid incubation for 24 h by shifting the culture pH from 5.5 to 2.0. The experimental results suggested that the acidification substantially accelerated microbial granulation, but not biofilm formation. Microbial activities were inhibited by the acid incubation for about 78 h, resulting in the retarded formation of biofilms of the acidified culture. Reducing culture pH resulted in improvement in cell surface physicochemical properties favoring microbial adhesion and immobilization. Zeta potential increased from -25.3 mV to 11.9 mV, hydrophobicity in terms of contact angle improved from 31 to 38 and production of extracellular polymers increased from 66 mg/g-VSS to 136 mg/g-VSS. As a result of the formation of granules and biofilms, high hydrogen production rates of 6.98 and 7.49 L/L h were achieved in granule-based and biofilm-based reactors, respectively. It is concluded that acid incubation is an efficient means to initiate the rapid formation of granules by regulating the surface characteristics of microbial culture. The use of support media as starting nuclei may result in rapid formation of biofilms without the acidification. (author)

Sequentially aerated membrane biofilm reactors for autotrophic nitrogen removal: microbial community composition and dynamics

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Pellicer i Nàcher, Carles; Franck, Stephanie; Gülay, Arda

2014-01-01

Membrane-aerated biofilm reactors performing autotrophic nitrogen removal can be successfully applied to treat concentrated nitrogen streams. However, their process performance is seriously hampered by the growth of nitrite oxidizing bacteria (NOB). In this work we document how sequential aeration...... (rich in oxygen) and AnAOB in regions neighbouring the liquid phase. Both communities were separated by a transition region potentially populated by denitrifying heterotrophic bacteria. AOB and AnAOB bacterial groups were more abundant and diverse than NOB, and dominated by the r......-strategists Nitrosomonas europaea and Ca. Brocadia anammoxidans, respectively. Taken together, the present work presents tools to better engineer, monitor and control the microbial communities that support robust, sustainable and efficient nitrogen removal....

Resistance of biofilm-covered mortars to microbiologically influenced deterioration simulated by sulfuric acid exposure

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Soleimani, Sahar, E-mail: ssoleima@connect.carleton.ca; Isgor, O. Burkan, E-mail: burkan_isgor@carleton.ca; Ormeci, Banu, E-mail: banu_ormeci@carleton.ca

2013-11-15

Following the reported success of biofilm applications on metal surfaces to inhibit microbiologically influenced corrosion, effectiveness and sustainability of E. coli DH5α biofilm on mortar surface to prevent microbiologically influenced concrete deterioration (MICD) are investigated. Experiments simulating microbial attack were carried out by exposing incrementally biofilm-covered mortar specimens to sulfuric acid solutions with pH ranging from 3 to 6. Results showed that calcium concentration in control reactors without biofilm was 23–47% higher than the reactors with biofilm-covered mortar. Formation of amorphous silica gel as an indication of early stages of acid attack was observed only on the control mortar specimens without biofilm. During acidification, the biofilm continued to grow and its thickness almost doubled from ∼ 30 μm before acidification to ∼ 60 μm after acidification. These results demonstrated that E. coli DH5α biofilm was able to provide a protective and sustainable barrier on mortar surfaces against medium to strong sulfuric acid attack. -- Highlights: •Effectiveness of E.coli DH5α biofilm to prevent MICD was studied. •Conditions that lead to MICD were simulated by chemical acidification. •Biofilm-covered mortar specimens were exposed to sulfuric acid solutions. •The presence of biofilm helped reduce the chemically-induced mortar deterioration. •Biofilm remained alive and continued to grow during the acidification process.

Resistance of biofilm-covered mortars to microbiologically influenced deterioration simulated by sulfuric acid exposure

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Soleimani, Sahar; Isgor, O. Burkan; Ormeci, Banu

2013-01-01

Following the reported success of biofilm applications on metal surfaces to inhibit microbiologically influenced corrosion, effectiveness and sustainability of E. coli DH5α biofilm on mortar surface to prevent microbiologically influenced concrete deterioration (MICD) are investigated. Experiments simulating microbial attack were carried out by exposing incrementally biofilm-covered mortar specimens to sulfuric acid solutions with pH ranging from 3 to 6. Results showed that calcium concentration in control reactors without biofilm was 23–47% higher than the reactors with biofilm-covered mortar. Formation of amorphous silica gel as an indication of early stages of acid attack was observed only on the control mortar specimens without biofilm. During acidification, the biofilm continued to grow and its thickness almost doubled from ∼ 30 μm before acidification to ∼ 60 μm after acidification. These results demonstrated that E. coli DH5α biofilm was able to provide a protective and sustainable barrier on mortar surfaces against medium to strong sulfuric acid attack. -- Highlights: •Effectiveness of E.coli DH5α biofilm to prevent MICD was studied. •Conditions that lead to MICD were simulated by chemical acidification. •Biofilm-covered mortar specimens were exposed to sulfuric acid solutions. •The presence of biofilm helped reduce the chemically-induced mortar deterioration. •Biofilm remained alive and continued to grow during the acidification process

Successful treatment of high azo dye concentration wastewater using combined anaerobic/aerobic granular activated carbon-sequencing batch biofilm reactor (GAC-SBBR): simultaneous adsorption and biodegradation processes.

Science.gov (United States)

Hosseini Koupaie, E; Alavi Moghaddam, M R; Hashemi, S H

2013-01-01

The application of a granular activated carbon-sequencing batch biofilm reactor (GAC-SBBR) for treatment of wastewater containing 1,000 mg/L Acid Red 18 (AR18) was investigated in this research. The treatment system consisted of a sequencing batch reactor equipped with moving GAC as biofilm support. Each treatment cycle consisted of two successive anaerobic (14 h) and aerobic (8 h) reaction phases. Removal of more than 91% chemical oxygen demand (COD) and 97% AR18 was achieved in this study. Investigation of dye decolorization kinetics showed that the dye removal was stimulated by the adsorption capacity of the GAC at the beginning of the anaerobic phase and then progressed following a first-order reaction. Based on COD analysis results, at least 77.8% of the dye total metabolites were mineralized during the applied treatment system. High-performance liquid chromatography analysis revealed that more than 97% of 1-naphthyalamine-4-sulfonate as one of the main sulfonated aromatic constituents of AR18 was removed during the aerobic reaction phase. According to the scanning electron microscopic analysis, the microbial biofilms grew in most cavities and pores of the GAC, but not on the external surfaces of the GAC.

Nitrite accumulation from simultaneous free-ammonia and free-nitrous-acid inhibition and oxygen limitation in a continuous-flow biofilm reactor.

Science.gov (United States)

Park, Seongjun; Chung, Jinwook; Rittmann, Bruce E; Bae, Wookeun

2015-01-01

To achieve nitrite accumulation for shortcut biological nitrogen removal (SBNR) in a biofilm process, we explored the simultaneous effects of oxygen limitation and free ammonia (FA) and free nitrous acid (FNA) inhibition in the nitrifying biofilm. We used the multi-species nitrifying biofilm model (MSNBM) to identify conditions that should or should not lead to nitrite accumulation, and evaluated the effectiveness of those conditions with experiments in continuous flow biofilm reactors (CFBRs). CFBR experiments were organized into four sets with these expected outcomes based on the MSNBM as follows: (i) Control, giving full nitrification; (ii) oxygen limitation, giving modest long-term nitrite build up; (iii) FA inhibition, giving no long-term nitrite accumulation; and (iv) FA inhibition plus oxygen limitation, giving major long-term nitrite accumulation. Consistent with MSNBM predictions, the experimental results showed that nitrite accumulated in sets 2-4 in the short term, but long-term nitrite accumulation was maintained only in sets 2 and 4, which involved oxygen limitation. Furthermore, nitrite accumulation was substantially greater in set 4, which also included FA inhibition. However, FA inhibition (and accompanying FNA inhibition) alone in set 3 did not maintained long-term nitrite accumulation. Nitrite-oxidizing bacteria (NOB) activity batch tests confirmed that little NOB or only a small fraction of NOB were present in the biofilms for sets 4 and 2, respectively. The experimental data supported the previous modeling results that nitrite accumulation could be achieved with a lower ammonium concentration than had been required for a suspended-growth process. Additional findings were that the biofilm exposed to low dissolved oxygen (DO) limitation and FA inhibition was substantially denser and probably had a lower detachment rate. © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Host Proteins Determine MRSA Biofilm Structure and Integrity

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Dreier, Cindy; Nielsen, Astrid; Jørgensen, Nis Pedersen

Human extracellular matrix (hECM) proteins aids the initial attachment and initiation of an infection, by specific binding to bacterial cell surface proteins. However, the importance of hECM proteins in structure, integrity and antibiotic resilience of a biofilm is unknown. This study aims...... to determine how specific hECM proteins affect S. aureus USA300 JE2 biofilms. Biofilms were grown in the presence of synovial fluid from rheumatoid arteritis patients to mimic in vivo conditions, where bacteria incorporate hECM proteins into the biofilm matrix. Difference in biofilm structure, with and without...... addition of hECM to growth media, was visualized by confocal laser scanning microscopy. Two enzymatic degradation experiments were used to study biofilm matrix composition and importance of hECM proteins: enzymatic removal of specific hECM proteins from growth media, before biofilm formation, and enzymatic...

A new method to measure and model dynamic oxygen microdistributions in moving biofilms.

Science.gov (United States)

Wang, Jian-Hui; Chen, You-Peng; Dong, Yang; Wang, Xi-Xi; Guo, Jin-Song; Shen, Yu; Yan, Peng; Ma, Teng-Fei; Sun, Xiu-Qian; Fang, Fang; Wang, Jing

2017-10-01

Biofilms in natural environments offer a superior solution to mitigate water pollution. Artificially intensified biofilm reactors represented by rotating biological contactors (RBCs) are widely applied and studied. Understanding the oxygen transfer process in biofilms is an important aspect of these studies, and describing this process in moving biofilms (such as biofilms in RBCs) is a particular challenge. Oxygen transfer in RBCs behaves differently than in other biological reactors due to the special oxygen supply mode that results from alternate exposure of the biofilm to wastewater and air. The study of oxygen transfer in biofilms is indispensable for understanding biodegradation in RBCs. However, the mechanisms are still not well known due to a lack of effective tools to dynamically analyze oxygen diffusion, reaction, and microdistribution in biofilms. A new experimental device, the Oxygen Transfer Modeling Device (OTMD), was designed and manufactured for this purpose, and a mathematical model was developed to model oxygen transfer in biofilm produced by an RBC. This device allowed the simulation of the local environment around the biofilm during normal RBC operation, and oxygen concentrations varying with time and depth in biofilm were measured using an oxygen microelectrode. The experimental data conformed well to the model description, indicating that the OTMD and the model were stable and reliable. Moreover, the OTMD offered a flexible approach to study the impact of a single-factor on oxygen transfer in moving biofilms. In situ environment of biofilm in an RBC was simulated, and dynamic oxygen microdistributions in the biofilm were measured and well fitted to the built model description. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Benzene degradation in a denitrifying biofilm reactor

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Waals, van der Marcelle J.; Atashgahi, Siavash; Rocha, da Ulisses Nunes; Zaan, van der Bas M.; Smidt, Hauke; Gerritse, Jan

2017-01-01

Benzene is an aromatic compound and harmful for the environment. Biodegradation of benzene can reduce the toxicological risk after accidental or controlled release of this chemical in the environment. In this study, we further characterized an anaerobic continuous biofilm culture grown for more

Roles of ionic strength and biofilm roughness on adhesion kinetics of Escherichia coli onto groundwater biofilm grown on PVC surfaces

Science.gov (United States)

Janjaroen, Dao; Ling, Fangqiong; Monroy, Guillermo; Derlon, Nicolas; Mogenroth, Eberhard; Boppart, Stephen A.; Liu, Wen-Tso; Nguyen, Thanh H.

2013-01-01

Mechanisms of Escherichia coli attachment on biofilms grown on PVC coupons were investigated. Biofilms were grown in CDC reactors using groundwater as feed solution over a period up to 27 weeks. Biofilm physical structure was characterized at the micro- and meso-scales using Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) and Optical Coherence Tomography (OCT), respectively. Microbial community diversity was analyzed with Terminal Restricted Fragment Length Polymorphism (T-RFLP). Both physical structure and microbial community diversity of the biofilms were shown to be changing from 2 weeks to 14 weeks, and became relatively stable after 16 weeks. A parallel plate flow chamber coupled with an inverted fluorescent microscope was also used to monitor the attachment of fluorescent microspheres and E. coli on clean PVC surfaces and biofilms grown on PVC surfaces for different ages. Two mechanisms of E. coli attachment were identified. The adhesion rate coefficients (kd) of E. coli on nascent PVC surfaces and 2-week biofilms increased with ionic strength. However, after biofilms grew for 8 weeks, the adhesion was found to be independent of solution chemistry. Instead, a positive correlation between kd and biofilm roughness as determined by OCT was obtained, indicating that the physical structure of biofilms could play an important role in facilitating the adhesion of E. coli cells. PMID:23497979

RESPIROMETRIC ACTIVITY OF ACTIVATED SLUDGE AND BIOFILM IN IFAS-MBBR SYSTEM

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Paula Piechna

2017-07-01

Full Text Available The aim of the presented study was: a assessment of activity of microorganisms developed in form of activated sludge and biofilm, b indirect assessment of the role of analyzed biocoenoses in removal of organic compounds in hybrid reactor with moving bed. Oxygen uptake rate tests (OUR have been used, and obtained results were presented as volumetric activity (expressed in mg O2/L · h and mass activity (expressed as mg O2/g VTS · h. Tests were conducted for three different variants, in which, as the biomass: 1 biofilm was used, 2 activated sludge was used, 3 biofilm and activated sludge were used. The biomass was collected from aerobic reactor from a wastewater treatment plant working in IFAS-MBBR system. The highest volumetric activity was observed for variant with biofilm and activated sludge, and the lowest for variant with biofilm only. Nonetheless, the highest value of oxygen uptake rate related to total volatile solids was observed for variant with biofilm and the lowest for activated sludge. Obtained results suggest, that during this research, at the wastewater treatment plant, the main role in removal of organic pollutants played the biomass developed in form of activated sludge.

Persistence in a single species CSTR model with suspended flocs and wall attached biofilms.

Science.gov (United States)

Mašić, Alma; Eberl, Hermann J

2012-04-01

We consider a mathematical model for a bacterial population in a continuously stirred tank reactor (CSTR) with wall attachment. This is a modification of the Freter model, in which we model the sessile bacteria as a microbial biofilm. Our analysis indicates that the results of the algebraically simpler original Freter model largely carry over. In a computational simulation study, we find that the vast majority of bacteria in the reactor will eventually be sessile. However, we also find that suspended biomass is relatively more efficient in removing substrate from the reactor than biofilm bacteria.

Investigation of mass transfer phenomena in biofilm systems; Untersuchung von Stoffuebergangsphaenomenen in Biofilmsystemen

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Waesche, S.; Hempel, D.C. [Technische Univ. Braunschweig (Germany). Inst. fuer Bioverfahrenstechnik; Horn, H. [Fachhochschule Magdeburg (Germany). Hydro- und Abfallchemie

1999-07-01

Substance transfer in the boundary layer bulk/biofilm can be only inadequately described by conventional model concepts. In such cases where the surface structure of a biofilm adapts to given hydraulic conditions, the substance transfer phenomena need to be studied in depth. In addition, the entire biofilm structure is much influenced both by substrate conditions and by hydrodynamic conditions during growth. With a view to quantifying these factors, biofilms were cultured under various substrate and hydrodynamic conditions in tube reactors with a diameter of 2.6 cm. For characterizing the cultured biofilms, biofilm density and substrate turnover measured as maximum mass transfer density were determined in each test series. Biofilm density (dry biomass/biofilm volume) was determined by gravimetry. Maximum mass transfer densities in biofilm were established in batch experiments with excess substrate. By means of oxygen microelectrodes, oxygen profiles in the biofilm were measured directly in the reactor. These measurements concerned biofilms of thicknesses ranging from 400 to 2000 {mu}m, where the biofilms did not yet exhibit erosion. (orig.) [German] Der Stoffuebergang in der Grenzschicht Bulk/Biofilm ist mit herkoemmlichen Modellvorstellungen nur ungenuegend beschreibbar. Eine sich an die aktuellen hydraulischen Bedingungen anpassende Oberflaechenstruktur des Biofilms erfordert eine intensive Untersuchung der Stoffuebergangsphaenomene in derartigen Systemen. Darueber hinaus wird die gesamte Biofilmstruktur sowohl von den Substratbedingungen als auch von den hydrodynamischen Bedingungen waehrend des Wachstums stark beeinflusst. Um diese Faktoren quantifizieren zu koennen, wurden Biofilme bei verschiedenen Substrat- und hydrodynamischen Bedingungen in Rohrreaktoren mit einem Durchmesser von 2,6 cm kultiviert. Zur Charakterisierung der kultivierten Biofilme wurde die Biofilmdichte und der Substratumsatz, gemessen als maximale Massestromdichte, bei jeder Versuchsreihe

Calibration and verification of models of organic carbon removal kinetics in Aerated Submerged Fixed-Bed Biofilm Reactors (ASFBBR): a case study of wastewater from an oil-refinery.

Science.gov (United States)

Trojanowicz, Karol; Wójcik, Włodzimierz

2011-01-01

The article presents a case-study on the calibration and verification of mathematical models of organic carbon removal kinetics in biofilm. The chosen Harremöes and Wanner & Reichert models were calibrated with a set of model parameters obtained both during dedicated studies conducted at pilot- and lab-scales for petrochemical wastewater conditions and from the literature. Next, the models were successfully verified through studies carried out utilizing a pilot ASFBBR type bioreactor installed in an oil-refinery wastewater treatment plant. During verification the pilot biofilm reactor worked under varying surface organic loading rates (SOL), dissolved oxygen concentrations and temperatures. The verification proved that the models can be applied in practice to petrochemical wastewater treatment engineering for e.g. biofilm bioreactor dimensioning.

Simultaneous removal of selected oxidized contaminants in groundwater using a continuously stirred hydrogen-based membrane biofilm reactor.

Science.gov (United States)

Xia, Siqing; Liang, Jun; Xu, Xiaoyin; Shen, Shuang

2013-01-01

A laboratory trial was conducted for evaluating the capability of a continuously stirred hydrogen-based membrane biofilm reactor to simultaneously reduce nitrate (NO(3-)-N), sulfate (SO4(2-)), bromate (BrO3-), hexavalent chromium (Cr(VI)) and parachloronitrobenzene (p-CNB). The reactor contained two bundles of hollow fiber membranes functioning as an autotrophic biofilm carrier and hydrogen pipe as well. On the condition that hydrogen was supplied as electron donor and diffused into water through membrane pores, autohydrogenotrophic bacteria were capable of reducing contaminants to forms with lower toxicity. Reduction occurred within 1 day and removal fluxes for NO(3-)-N, SO4(2-), BrO3-, Cr(VI), and p-CNB reached 0.641, 2.396, 0.008, 0.016 and 0.031 g/(day x m2), respectively after 112 days of continuous operation. Except for the fact that sulfate was 37% removed under high surface loading, the other four contaminants were reduced by over 95%. The removal flux comparison between phases varying in surface loading and H2 pressure showed that decreasing surface loading or increasing H2 pressure would promote removal flux. Competition for electrons occurred among the five contaminants. Electron-equivalent flux analysis showed that the amount of utilized hydrogen was mainly controlled by NO(3-)-N and SO4(2-) reduction, which accounted for over 99% of the electron flux altogether. It also indicated the electron acceptor order, showing that nitrate was the most prior electron acceptor while suIfate was the second of the five contaminants.

Impact of Chloramination on the Development of Laboratory-Grown Biofilms Fed with Filter-Pretreated Groundwater

KAUST Repository

Ling, Fangqiong

2013-01-01

This study evaluated the continuous impact of monochloramine disinfection on laboratory-grown biofilms through the characterization of biofilm architecture and microbial community structure. Biofilm development and disinfection were achieved using CDC (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention) biofilm reactor systems with polyvinyl chloride (PVC) coupons as the substratum and sand filter-pretreated groundwater as the source of microbial seeding and growth nutrient. After 2 weeks of growth, the biofilms were subjected to chloramination for 8 more weeks at concentrations of 7.5±1.4 to 9.1±0.4 mg Cl2 L-1. Control reactors received no disinfection during the development of biofilms. Confocal laser scanning microscopy and image analysis indicated that chloramination could lead to 81.4-83.5% and 86.3-95.6% reduction in biofilm biomass and thickness, respectively, but could not eliminate biofilm growth. 16S rRNA gene terminal restriction fragment length polymorphism analysis indicated that microbial community structures between chloraminated and non-chloraminated biofilms exhibited different successional trends. 16S rRNA gene pyrosequencing analysis further revealed that chloramination could select members of Actinobacteria and Acidobacteria as the dominant populations, whereas natural development leads to the selection of members of Nitrospira and Bacteroidetes as dominant biofilm populations. Overall, chloramination treatment could alter the growth of multi-species biofilms on the PVC surface, shape the biofilm architecture, and select a certain microbial community that can survive or proliferate under chloramination.

Effects of commonly used food preservatives on biofilm formation of Streptococcus mutans in vitro.

Science.gov (United States)

Al-Ahmad, Ali; Wiedmann-Al-Ahmad, Margit; Auschill, Thorsten Mathias; Follo, Marie; Braun, Gabriele; Hellwig, Elmar; Arweiler, Nicole Birgit

2008-08-01

Sodium benzoate (SB), potassium sorbate (PS) and sodium nitrite (SN) are commonly used food preservatives. In this in vitro study, the effects of these substances on biofilm formation of Streptococcus mutans were analysed. In addition to the microtiter plate test (MPT), a biofilm reactor containing bovine enamel slabs (BES) was used to study the influence of food preservatives on biofilm formation in 5 independent periods of 4 days each. These included one period with chlorhexidine digluconate (CHX) as a positive control as well as a period with growth medium alone as a negative control. The vitality of the biofilm on BES was detected using live/dead staining and confocal laser scanning microscopy. Additionally, the number of colony forming units (CFU) was determined. In MPT 0.12% SN significantly reduced the biofilm formation. PS at a concentration of 0.4% tended to inhibit biofilm formation, whereas the inhibition for 0.8% PS was significant. Less inhibition was caused by 0.8% SB. In the biofilm reactor 0.06% of SN, 0.1% of SB and 0.1% PS significantly reduced the covering grade as well as the CFU of the biofilm. Biofilm vitality was reduced significantly by CHX to a level of 32.5% compared to the control. Only SB reduced the vitality to a level of 19.1%. SN and PS showed no influence on biofilm vitality. This study indicates the potential of food preservatives as inhibitory agents in S. mutans biofilm formation, which should be kept in mind when studying the effects of conserved food on dental plaque biofilm in situ.

Pengolahan Lindi Menggunakan Moving Bed Biofilm Reactor dengan Proses Anaerobik-Aerobik-Anoksik

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Nuriflalail Rio Jusepa

2017-01-01

Full Text Available Lindi mengandung konsentrasi organik, Total Kjeldahl Nitrogen, amonium, nitrit dan nitrat yang tinggi sehingga lindi yang tidak diolah dapat mencemari lingkungan. Pengolahan biologis dengan sistem fluidized attached growth seperti Moving Bed Biofilm Reactor (MBBR dapat digunakan untuk menurunkan senyawa organik dan senyawa nitrogen. Konsentrasi organik dan nitrogen yang tinggi pada lindi dapat diolah dengan mengatur proses aerobik-anaerobik-anoksik di dalam MBBR. Kapasitas pengolahan MBBR yang digunakan sebesar 10 L dan media Kaldness (K1 sebanyak 2 L. MBBR dioperasikan dengan sistem batch, dengan kondisi aerobik yang berasal dari aerator dan pompa submersible, kondisi anaerobik berasal dari pompa submersible saja, dan kondisi anoksik yang berasal dari pompa submersible dan aerator. Hasil penelitian ini menunjukkan bahwa MBBR dapat digunakan untuk menurunkan senyawa nitrogen dan senyawa organik. Efisiensi penyisihan optimum senyawa organik sebesar 87% pada proses anaerobik baik pada sistem fluidized attached growth maupun suspended growth. Efisiensi penyisihan optimum senyawa nitrogen sebesar 72% pada proses anoksik baik pada sistem fluidized attached growth maupun suspended growth.

Contribution of Extracellular Polymeric Substances from Shewanella sp. HRCR-1 Biofilms to U(VI) Immobilization

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Cao, Bin; Ahmed, B.; Kennedy, David W.; Wang, Zheming; Shi, Liang; Marshall, Matthew J.; Fredrickson, Jim K.; Isern, Nancy G.; Majors, Paul D.; Beyenal, Haluk

2011-06-05

The goal of this study was to quantify the contribution of extracellular polymeric substances (EPS) in U(VI) immobilization by Shewanella sp. HRCR-1. Through comparison of U(VI) immobilization using cells with bound EPS (bEPS) and cells without EPS, we showed that i) bEPS from Shewanella sp. HRCR-1 biofilms contributed significantly to U(VI) immobilization, especially at low initial U(VI) concentrations, through both sorption and reduction; ii) bEPS could be considered as a functional extension of the cells for U(VI) immobilization and they likely play more important roles at initial U(VI) concentrations; and iii) U(VI) reduction efficiency was found to be dependent upon initial U(VI) concentration and the efficiency decreased at lower concentrations. To quantify relative contribution of sorption and reduction in U(VI) immobilization by EPS fractions, we isolated loosely associated EPS (laEPS) and bEPS from Shewanella sp. HRCR-1 biofilms grown in a hollow fiber membrane biofilm reactor and tested their reactivity with U(V). We found that, when in reduced form, the isolated cell-free EPS fractions could reduce U(VI). Polysaccharides in the EPS likely contributed to U(VI) sorption and dominated reactivity of laEPS while redox active components (e.g., outer membrane c-type cytochromes), especially in bEPS, might facilitate U(VI) reduction.

Contribution of extracellular polymeric substances from Shewanella sp. HRCR-1 biofilms to U(VI) immobilization.

Science.gov (United States)

Cao, Bin; Ahmed, Bulbul; Kennedy, David W; Wang, Zheming; Shi, Liang; Marshall, Matthew J; Fredrickson, Jim K; Isern, Nancy G; Majors, Paul D; Beyenal, Haluk

2011-07-01

The goal of this study was to quantify the contribution of extracellular polymeric substances (EPS) to U(VI) immobilization by Shewanella sp. HRCR-1. Through comparison of U(VI) immobilization using cells with bound EPS (bEPS) and cells with minimal EPS, we show that (i) bEPS from Shewanella sp. HRCR-1 biofilms contribute significantly to U(VI) immobilization, especially at low initial U(VI) concentrations, through both sorption and reduction; (ii) bEPS can be considered a functional extension of the cells for U(VI) immobilization and they likely play more important roles at lower initial U(VI) concentrations; and (iii) the U(VI) reduction efficiency is dependent upon the initial U(VI) concentration and decreases at lower concentrations. To quantify the relative contributions of sorption and reduction to U(VI) immobilization by EPS fractions, we isolated loosely associated EPS (laEPS) and bEPS from Shewanella sp. HRCR-1 biofilms grown in a hollow fiber membrane biofilm reactor and tested their reactivity with U(VI). We found that, when reduced, the isolated cell-free EPS fractions could reduce U(VI). Polysaccharides in the EPS likely contributed to U(VI) sorption and dominated the reactivity of laEPS, while redox active components (e.g., outer membrane c-type cytochromes), especially in bEPS, possibly facilitated U(VI) reduction.

Role of Multicellular Aggregates in Biofilm Formation

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Kasper N. Kragh

2016-03-01

Full Text Available In traditional models of in vitro biofilm development, individual bacterial cells seed a surface, multiply, and mature into multicellular, three-dimensional structures. Much research has been devoted to elucidating the mechanisms governing the initial attachment of single cells to surfaces. However, in natural environments and during infection, bacterial cells tend to clump as multicellular aggregates, and biofilms can also slough off aggregates as a part of the dispersal process. This makes it likely that biofilms are often seeded by aggregates and single cells, yet how these aggregates impact biofilm initiation and development is not known. Here we use a combination of experimental and computational approaches to determine the relative fitness of single cells and preformed aggregates during early development of Pseudomonas aeruginosa biofilms. We find that the relative fitness of aggregates depends markedly on the density of surrounding single cells, i.e., the level of competition for growth resources. When competition between aggregates and single cells is low, an aggregate has a growth disadvantage because the aggregate interior has poor access to growth resources. However, if competition is high, aggregates exhibit higher fitness, because extending vertically above the surface gives cells at the top of aggregates better access to growth resources. Other advantages of seeding by aggregates, such as earlier switching to a biofilm-like phenotype and enhanced resilience toward antibiotics and immune response, may add to this ecological benefit. Our findings suggest that current models of biofilm formation should be reconsidered to incorporate the role of aggregates in biofilm initiation.

Small liquid metal reactor for an initial phase of fast breeder reactor introduction

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ishiguro, Y.; Nascimento, J.A. do.

1985-01-01

Safety and burnup characteristics of a 1000 MWth liquid metal reactor have been examined for various fuel types. With metallic Pu/Th fuel containing a small amount of zirconium hydride, low sodium-void reactivity, a high Doppler coefficient, and small burnup reactivity swings can be achieved. A conservative design is considered for an initial phase of fast breeder reactor development and possible modifications are discussed. (Author) [pt

The analysis of the initiating events in thorium-based molten salt reactor

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Zuo Jiaxu; Song Wei; Jing Jianping; Zhang Chunming

2014-01-01

The initiation events analysis and evaluation were the beginning of nuclear safety analysis and probabilistic safety analysis, and it was the key points of the nuclear safety analysis. Currently, the initiation events analysis method and experiences both focused on water reactor, but no methods and theories for thorium-based molten salt reactor (TMSR). With TMSR's research and development in China, the initiation events analysis and evaluation was increasingly important. The research could be developed from the PWR analysis theories and methods. Based on the TMSR's design, the theories and methods of its initiation events analysis could be researched and developed. The initiation events lists and analysis methods of the two or three generation PWR, high-temperature gascooled reactor and sodium-cooled fast reactor were summarized. Based on the TMSR's design, its initiation events would be discussed and developed by the logical analysis. The analysis of TMSR's initiation events was preliminary studied and described. The research was important to clarify the events analysis rules, and useful to TMSR's designs and nuclear safety analysis. (authors)

Cell immobilization for production of lactic acid biofilms do it naturally.

Science.gov (United States)

Dagher, Suzanne F; Ragout, Alicia L; Siñeriz, Faustino; Bruno-Bárcena, José M

2010-01-01

Interest in natural cell immobilization or biofilms for lactic acid fermentation has developed considerably over the last few decades. Many studies report the benefits associated with biofilms as industrial methods for food production and for wastewater treatment, since the formation represents a protective means of microbial growth offering survival advantages to cells in toxic environments. The formation of biofilms is a natural process in which microbial cells adsorb to a support without chemicals or polymers that entrap the cells and is dependent on the reactor environment, microorganism, and characteristics of the support. These unique characteristics enable biofilms to cause chronic infections, disease, food spoilage, and devastating effects as in microbial corrosion. Their distinct resistance to toxicity, high biomass potential, and improved stability over cells in suspension make biofilms a good tool for improving the industrial economics of biological lactic acid production. Lactic acid bacteria and specific filamentous fungi are the main sources of biological lactic acid. Over the past two decades, studies have focused on improving the lactic acid volumetric productivity through reactor design development, new support materials, and improvements in microbial production strains. To illustrate the operational designs applied to the natural immobilization of lactic acid producing microorganisms, this chapter presents the results of a search for optimum parameters and how they are affected by the physical, chemical, and biological variables of the process. We will place particular emphasis upon the relationship between lactic acid productivity attained by various types of reactors, supports, media formulations, and lactic acid producing microorganisms. Copyright (c) 2010 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Impact of disinfection on drinking water biofilm bacterial community.

Science.gov (United States)

Mi, Zilong; Dai, Yu; Xie, Shuguang; Chen, Chao; Zhang, Xiaojian

2015-11-01

Disinfectants are commonly applied to control the growth of microorganisms in drinking water distribution systems. However, the effect of disinfection on drinking water microbial community remains poorly understood. The present study investigated the impacts of different disinfectants (chlorine and chloramine) and dosages on biofilm bacterial community in bench-scale pipe section reactors. Illumina MiSeq sequencing illustrated that disinfection strategy could affect both bacterial diversity and community structure of drinking water biofilm. Proteobacteria tended to predominate in chloraminated drinking water biofilms, while Firmicutes in chlorinated and unchlorinated biofilms. The major proteobacterial groups were influenced by both disinfectant type and dosage. In addition, chloramination had a more profound impact on bacterial community than chlorination. Copyright © 2015. Published by Elsevier B.V.

In Situ Identification and Stratification of Monochloramine Inhibition Effects on Nitrifying Biofilms as Determined by the Use of Microelectrodes

Science.gov (United States)

The nitrifying biofilm grown in an annular biofilm reactor and the microbial deactivation achieved after monochloramine treatment were investigated using microelectrodes. The nitrifying biofilm ammonium microprofile was measured and the effect of monochloramine on nitrifying bio...

IAEA fast reactor knowledge preservation initiative. Project focus: KNK-II reactor, Karlsruhe, Germany

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

2004-08-01

This Working Material (including the attached CD-ROM) documents progress made in the IAEA's initiative to preserve knowledge in the fast reactor domain. The brochure describes briefly the context of the initiative and gives an introduction to the contents of the CD-ROM. In 2003/2004 a first focus of activity was concentrated on the preservation of knowledge related to the KNK-II experimental fast reactor in Karlsruhe, Germany. The urgency of this project was given by the impending physical destruction of the installation, including the office buildings. Important KNK-II documentation was brought to safety and preserved just in time. The CD-ROM contains the full texts of 264 technical and scientific documents describing research, development and operating experience gained with the KNK-II installation over a period of time from 1965 to 2002, extending through initial investigations, 17 years of rich operating experience, and final shutdown and decommissioning. The index to the documents on the CD-ROM is printed at the end of this booklet in chronological order and is accessible on the CD by subject index and chronological index. The CD-ROM contains in its root directory also the document 'fr c lassification.pdf' which describes the classification system used for the present collection of documents on the fast reactor KNK-II

Value addition initiatives for CANDU reactor operation performance

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Chugh, V.; Parmar, R.; Schut, J.; Sherin, J.; Xie, H.; Zobin, D.

2013-01-01

Recently, AMEC NSS initiated projects for CANDU® station performance engineering with potentially high returns for the utilities. This paper discusses three initiatives. Firstly, optimization of instrument calibration interval from 1 to 3 years will reduce time commitments on the maintenance resources on top of financial savings ~$3,500 per instrument. Secondly, reactor thermal power uncertainty assessment shows the level of operation which is believed to have an over-conservative margin that can be used to increase power by up to 0.75%. Finally, as an alternative means for controlling Reactor Inlet Header Temperature (RIHT), physical modifications to the High Pressure (HP) feedwater heaters can be useful for partially recovering RIHT resulting in increased production by 10-12 MWe. (author)

In vitro phenotypic differentiation towards commensal and pathogenic oral biofilms

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Janus, M.M.; Keijser, B.J.F.; Bikker, F.J.; Exterkate, R.A.M.; Crielaard, W.; Krom, B.P.

2015-01-01

Commensal oral biofilms, defined by the absence of pathology-related phenotypes, are ubiquitously present. In contrast to pathological biofilms commensal biofilms are rarely studied. Here, the effect of the initial inoculum and subsequent growth conditions on in vitro oral biofilms was studied.

Packed- and fluidized-bed biofilm reactor performance for anaerobic wastewater treatment.

Science.gov (United States)

Denac, M; Dunn, I J

1988-07-05

Anaerobic degradation performance of a laboratory-scale packed-bed reactor (PBR) was compared with two fluidized-bed biofilm reactors (FBRs) on molasses and whey feeds. The reactors were operated under constant pH (7) and temperature (35 degrees C) conditions and were well mixed with high recirculation rates. The measured variables were chemical oxygen demand (COD), individual organic acids, gas composition, and gas rates. As carrier, sand of 0.3-0.5 mm diameter was used in the FBR, and porous clay spheres of 6 mm diameter were used in the PBR. Startup of the PBR was achieved with 1-5 day residence times. Start-up of the FBR was only successful if liquid residence times were held low at 2-3 h. COD degradations of 86% with molasses (90% was biodegradable) were reached in both the FBR and PBR at 6 h residence time and loadings of 10 g COD/L day. At higher loadings the FBR gave the best performance; even at 40-45 g COD/L day, with 6 h residence times, 70% COD was degraded. The PBR could not be operated above 20 g COD/L day without clogging. A comparison of the reaction rates show that the PBR and FBR per formed similarly at low concentrations in the reactors up to 1 g COD/L, while above 3 g COD/L the rates were 17.4 g COD/L day for the PBR and 38.4 g COD/L day for the FBR. This difference is probably due to diffusion limitations and a less active biomass content of the PBR compared with the fluidized bed.The results of dynamic step change experiments, in which residence times and feed concentrations were changed hanged at constant loading, demonstrated the rapid response of the reactors. Thus, the response times for an increase in gas rate or an increase in organic acids due to an increase in feed concentration were less than 1 day and could be explained by substrate limitation. Other slower responses were observed in which the reactor culture adapted over periods of 5-10 days; these were apparently growth related. An increase in loading of over 100% always resulted

Simultaneous evaluation of effective diffusion coefficients of the substrates in a biofilm with a novel experimental method

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Beyenal, H.; Tanyolac, A. [Hacettepe Univ., Ankara (Turkey)

1996-08-01

A pure culture of Zoogloea ramigera was grown as a film on active carbon particles in a differential fluidized bed biofilm reactor. Pseudo-steady state conditions were established within this reactor and thus, the stable substrate concentrations and flux values were obtained within definite time intervals, along with homogeneous biofilm thickness and density. The free-growth kinetics of the culture were studied in a continuous fermenter and a multi-substrate growth model was used to describe the utilization of limiting substrate in the biofilm. The limiting substrates for the culture were determined to be glucose, ammonium and oxygen. The effective diffusion coefficients of these substrates were calculated simultaneously with a diffusion-reaction model. Results of the model solution revealed that the effective diffusion coefficient for all three substrates through the biofilm decreased with increased biofilm density and observed biofilm thickness up to a critical value of about 90 x 10{sup -6} m. After this critical point, all diffusion coefficients started to increase slowly due to diminished biofilm density. 31 refs., 4 figs., 4 tabs.

Anaerobic acidogenic digestion of olive mill wastewaters in biofilm reactors packed with ceramic filters or granular activated carbon.

Science.gov (United States)

Bertin, Lorenzo; Lampis, Silvia; Todaro, Daniela; Scoma, Alberto; Vallini, Giovanni; Marchetti, Leonardo; Majone, Mauro; Fava, Fabio

2010-08-01

Four identically configured anaerobic packed bed biofilm reactors were developed and employed in the continuous acidogenic digestion of olive mill wastewaters to produce volatile fatty acids (VFAs), which can be exploited in the biotechnological production of polyhydroxyalkanoates. Ceramic porous cubes or granular activated carbon were used as biofilm supports. Aside packing material, the role of temperature and organic loading rate (OLR) on VFA production yield and mixture composition were also studied. The process was monitored through a chemical, microbiological and molecular biology integrated procedure. The highest wastewater acidification yield was achieved with the ceramic-based technology at 25 degrees C, with an inlet COD and an OLR of about 17 g/L and 13 g/L/day, respectively. Under these conditions, about the 66% of the influent COD (not including its VFA content) was converted into VFAs, whose final amount represented more than 82% of the influent COD. In particular, acetic, propionic and butyric acids were the main VFAs by composing the 55.7, 21.5 and 14.4%, respectively, of the whole VFA mixture. Importantly, the relative concentrations of acetate and propionate were affected by the OLR parameter. The nature of the packing material remarkable influenced the process performances, by greatly affecting the biofilm bacterial community structure. In particular, ceramic cubes favoured the immobilization of Firmicutes of the genera Bacillus, Paenibacillus and Clostridium, which were probably involved in the VFA producing process. (c) 2010 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Model-based evaluation of the role of Anammox on nitric oxide and nitrous oxide productions in membrane aerated biofilm reactor

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Ni, Bing-Jie; Smets, Barth F.; Yuan, Zhiguo

2013-01-01

A multispecies one-dimensional biofilm model considering nitric oxide (NO) and nitrous oxide (N2O) productions for membrane aerated biofilm reactor (MABR) that remove nitrogen autotrophically through aerobic ammonia oxidation followed by Anammox is used to study the role of Anammox activity...... on the total nitrogen (TN) removal and the productions of NO and N2O. The model is applied to evaluate how periodic aeration as a control parameter reduces NO and N2O production but maintains high TN removal in MABR. The simulation results show over 3.5% of the removed TN could be attributed to NO and N2O...... production in MABR under the operational conditions optimal for TN removal (72%). An analysis of factors governing the Anammox activity in MABR shows that enhancing Anammox activity not only helps to achieve a high level of nitrogen removal but also reduces NO and N2O productions. Comparison of aeration...

Effect of Silver or Copper Nanoparticles-Dispersed Silane Coatings on Biofilm Formation in Cooling Water Systems

Science.gov (United States)

Ogawa, Akiko; Kanematsu, Hideyuki; Sano, Katsuhiko; Sakai, Yoshiyuki; Ishida, Kunimitsu; Beech, Iwona B.; Suzuki, Osamu; Tanaka, Toshihiro

2016-01-01

Biofouling often occurs in cooling water systems, resulting in the reduction of heat exchange efficiency and corrosion of the cooling pipes, which raises the running costs. Therefore, controlling biofouling is very important. To regulate biofouling, we focus on the formation of biofilm, which is the early step of biofouling. In this study, we investigated whether silver or copper nanoparticles-dispersed silane coatings inhibited biofilm formation in cooling systems. We developed a closed laboratory biofilm reactor as a model of a cooling pipe and used seawater as a model for cooling water. Silver or copper nanoparticles-dispersed silane coating (Ag coating and Cu coating) coupons were soaked in seawater, and the seawater was circulated in the laboratory biofilm reactor for several days to create biofilms. Three-dimensional images of the surface showed that sea-island-like structures were formed on silane coatings and low concentration Cu coating, whereas nothing was formed on high concentration Cu coatings and low concentration Ag coating. The sea-island-like structures were analyzed by Raman spectroscopy to estimate the components of the biofilm. We found that both the Cu coating and Ag coating were effective methods to inhibit biofilm formation in cooling pipes. PMID:28773758

Evaluation of Heavy Metal Removal from Wastewater in a Modified Packed Bed Biofilm Reactor.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Shohreh Azizi

Full Text Available For the effective application of a modified packed bed biofilm reactor (PBBR in wastewater industrial practice, it is essential to distinguish the tolerance of the system for heavy metals removal. The industrial contamination of wastewater from various sources (e.g. Zn, Cu, Cd and Ni was studied to assess the impacts on a PBBR. This biological system was examined by evaluating the tolerance of different strengths of composite heavy metals at the optimum hydraulic retention time (HRT of 2 hours. The heavy metal content of the wastewater outlet stream was then compared to the source material. Different biomass concentrations in the reactor were assessed. The results show that the system can efficiently treat 20 (mg/l concentrations of combined heavy metals at an optimum HRT condition (2 hours, while above this strength there should be a substantially negative impact on treatment efficiency. Average organic reduction, in terms of the chemical oxygen demand (COD of the system, is reduced above the tolerance limits for heavy metals as mentioned above. The PBBR biological system, in the presence of high surface area carrier media and a high microbial population to the tune of 10 000 (mg/l, is capable of removing the industrial contamination in wastewater.

Evaluation of Heavy Metal Removal from Wastewater in a Modified Packed Bed Biofilm Reactor

Science.gov (United States)

Azizi, Shohreh; Kamika, Ilunga; Tekere, Memory

2016-01-01

For the effective application of a modified packed bed biofilm reactor (PBBR) in wastewater industrial practice, it is essential to distinguish the tolerance of the system for heavy metals removal. The industrial contamination of wastewater from various sources (e.g. Zn, Cu, Cd and Ni) was studied to assess the impacts on a PBBR. This biological system was examined by evaluating the tolerance of different strengths of composite heavy metals at the optimum hydraulic retention time (HRT) of 2 hours. The heavy metal content of the wastewater outlet stream was then compared to the source material. Different biomass concentrations in the reactor were assessed. The results show that the system can efficiently treat 20 (mg/l) concentrations of combined heavy metals at an optimum HRT condition (2 hours), while above this strength there should be a substantially negative impact on treatment efficiency. Average organic reduction, in terms of the chemical oxygen demand (COD) of the system, is reduced above the tolerance limits for heavy metals as mentioned above. The PBBR biological system, in the presence of high surface area carrier media and a high microbial population to the tune of 10 000 (mg/l), is capable of removing the industrial contamination in wastewater. PMID:27186636

Development of mixed microbial granular biofilms for denitrification of concentrated wastes

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Krishna Mohan, T.V.; Nancharaiah, Y.V.; Venugopalan, V.P.; Narasimhan, S.V.; Satyasai, P.M.

2010-01-01

Nitrate containing wastes are generated at various stages of the nuclear fuel cycle; fuel fabrication and reprocessing. A treatment process for removing nitrate from such concentrated nitrate bearing effluents is needed. Among other available options, biological denitrification is an economical and technically feasible method for nitrate removal. Granular biofilm based sequencing batch reactors (SBRs) may allow designing a compact and high rate processes suitable for the treatment of concentrated effluents. Hence, experiments were carried out in laboratory scale sequencing batch reactors (SBRs) to develop granular biofilms (composed of mixed microbes) for removing nitrate from the concentrated nitrate containing-media. Microbial granular biofilms, capable of consuming nitrate up to 2710 mg/l nitrate-N, were developed under anaerobic conditions in a 6-litre volume sequencing batch reactor (SBR). The SBR was inoculated with activated sludge flocs and operated with 24-h cycle and 50% volumetric exchange ratio. Synthetic media containing acetate as the energy source and electron donor, at carbon to nitrogen molar ratio of 2:1 and 3:1 was fed into the SBRs. Nitrate-N concentration in the SBR was increased in a step-wise manner starting from 677 to 2710 mg/l (1355 to 5420 mg/l in the feed). Complete removal of influent nitrate occurred within the first few hours of SBR cycle period. Effluent nitrate and nitrite levels (∼3 mg/l nitrate-N or nitrite-N) at the end of SBR cycle period (24 h) were found to be below the discharge limits. Under these conditions biomass predominantly consisted of granular biofilms. Results show the potential of granular biofilm based SBR for converting nitrate to nitrogen gas from concentrated nitrate bearing industrial effluents. (author)

Contamination potential of drinking water distribution network biofilms.

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Wingender, J; Flemming, H C

2004-01-01

Drinking water distribution system biofilms were investigated for the presence of hygienically relevant microorganisms. Early biofilm formation was evaluated in biofilm reactors on stainless steel, copper, polyvinyl chloride (PVC) and polyethylene coupons exposed to unchlorinated drinking water. After 12 to 18 months, a plateau phase of biofilm development was reached. Surface colonization on the materials ranged between 4 x 10(6) and 3 x 10(7) cells/cm2, with heterotrophic plate count (HPC) bacteria between 9 x 10(3) and 7 x 10(5) colony-forming units (cfu)/cm2. Established biofilms were investigated in 18 pipe sections (2 to 99 years old) cut out from distribution pipelines. Materials included cast iron, galvanized steel, cement and PVC. Colonization ranged from 4 x 10(5) to 2 x 10(8) cells/cm2, HPC levels varied between 1 and 2 x 10(5) cfu/cm2. No correlation was found between extent of colonization and age of the pipes. Using cultural detection methods, coliform bacteria were rarely found, while Escherichia coli, Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Legionella spp. were not detected in the biofilms. In regular operation, distribution system biofilms do not seem to be common habitats for pathogens. However, nutrient-leaching materials like rubber-coated valves were observed with massive biofilms which harboured coliform bacteria contaminating drinking water.

Biofilm Effect on Flow Structure over a Permeable Bed

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Kazemifar, F.; Blois, G.; Aybar, M.; Perez-Calleja, P.; Nerenberg, R.; Sinha, S.; Hardy, R. J.; Best, J.; Sambrook Smith, G.; Christensen, K. T.

2017-12-01

Biofilms constitute an important form of bacterial life in aquatic environments and are present at the fluid-solid interfaces in natural and industrial settings, such as water distribution systems and riverbeds among others. The permeable, heterogeneous, and deformable structure of biofilms can influence mass and momentum transport between the subsurface and freestream. However, this interaction is not fully understood, in part due to technical obstacles impeding quantitative experimental investigations. In this work, the effect of biofilm on flow structure over a permeable bed is studied. Experiments are conducted in a closed water channel equipped with an idealized two-dimensional permeable bed. Prior to conducting flow experiments, the models are placed within an independent recirculating reactor for biofilm growth. Once a targeted biofilm growth stage is achieved, the models are transferred to the water channel and subjected to transitional and turbulent flows. Long-distance microscopic particle image velocimetry measurements are performed to quantify the effect of biofilm on the turbulence structure of the free flow as well as the freestream-subsurface flow interaction.

Influence of biofilms on iron and manganese deposition in drinking water distribution systems.

Science.gov (United States)

Ginige, Maneesha P; Wylie, Jason; Plumb, Jason

2011-02-01

Although health risk due to discoloured water is minimal, such water continues to be the source of one of the major complaints received by most water utilities in Australia. Elevated levels of iron (Fe) and/or manganese (Mn) in bulk water are associated with discoloured water incidents. The accumulation of these two elements in distribution systems is believed to be one of the main causes for such elevated levels. An investigation into the contribution of pipe wall biofilms towards Fe and Mn deposition, and discoloured water events is reported in this study. Eight laboratory-scale reactors were operated to test four different conditions in duplicate. Four reactors were exposed to low Fe (0.05 mg l(-1)) and Mn (0.02 mg l(-1)) concentrations and the remaining four were exposed to a higher (0.3 and 0.4 mg l(-1) for Fe and Mn, respectively) concentration. Two of the four reactors which received low and high Fe and Mn concentrations were chlorinated (3.0 mg l(-1) of chlorine). The biological activity (measured in terms of ATP) on the glass rings in these reactors was very low (∼1.5 ng cm(-2) ring). Higher concentrations of Fe and Mn in bulk water and active biofilms resulted in increased deposition of Fe and Mn on the glass rings. Moreover, with an increase in biological activity, an increase in Fe and Mn deposition was observed. The observations in the laboratory-scale experiments were in line with the results of field observations that were carried out using biofilm monitors. The field data additionally demonstrated the effect of seasons, where increased biofilm activities observed on pipe wall biofilms during late summer and early autumn were found to be associated with increased deposition of Fe and Mn. In contrast, during the cooler months, biofilm activities were a magnitude lower and the deposited metal concentrations were also significantly less (ie a drop of 68% for Fe and 86% for Mn). Based on the laboratory-scale investigations, detachment of pipe wall

Compaction and relaxation of biofilms

KAUST Repository

Valladares Linares, R.

2015-06-18

Operation of membrane systems for water treatment can be seriously hampered by biofouling. A better characterization of biofilms in membrane systems and their impact on membrane performance may help to develop effective biofouling control strategies. The objective of this study was to determine the occurrence, extent and timescale of biofilm compaction and relaxation (decompaction), caused by permeate flux variations. The impact of permeate flux changes on biofilm thickness, structure and stiffness was investigated in situ and non-destructively with optical coherence tomography using membrane fouling monitors operated at a constant crossflow velocity of 0.1 m s−1 with permeate production. The permeate flux was varied sequentially from 20 to 60 and back to 20 L m−2 h−1. The study showed that the average biofilm thickness on the membrane decreased after elevating the permeate flux from 20 to 60 L m−2 h−1 while the biofilm thickness increased again after restoring the original flux of 20 L m−2 h−1, indicating the occurrence of biofilm compaction and relaxation. Within a few seconds after the flux change, the biofilm thickness was changed and stabilized, biofilm compaction occurred faster than the relaxation after restoring the original permeate flux. The initial biofilm parameters were not fully reinstated: the biofilm thickness was reduced by 21%, biofilm stiffness had increased and the hydraulic biofilm resistance was elevated by 16%. Biofilm thickness was related to the hydraulic biofilm resistance. Membrane performance losses are related to the biofilm thickness, density and morphology, which are influenced by (variations in) hydraulic conditions. A (temporarily) permeate flux increase caused biofilm compaction, together with membrane performance losses. The impact of biofilms on membrane performance can be influenced (increased and reduced) by operational parameters. The article shows that a (temporary) pressure increase leads to more

Potential for hydrogen-oxidizing chemolithoautotrophic and diazotrophic populations to initiate biofilm formation in oligotrophic, deep terrestrial subsurface waters.

Science.gov (United States)

Wu, Xiaofen; Pedersen, Karsten; Edlund, Johanna; Eriksson, Lena; Åström, Mats; Andersson, Anders F; Bertilsson, Stefan; Dopson, Mark

2017-03-23

Deep terrestrial biosphere waters are separated from the light-driven surface by the time required to percolate to the subsurface. Despite biofilms being the dominant form of microbial life in many natural environments, they have received little attention in the oligotrophic and anaerobic waters found in deep bedrock fractures. This study is the first to use community DNA sequencing to describe biofilm formation under in situ conditions in the deep terrestrial biosphere. In this study, flow cells were attached to boreholes containing either "modern marine" or "old saline" waters of different origin and degree of isolation from the light-driven surface of the earth. Using 16S rRNA gene sequencing, we showed that planktonic and attached populations were dissimilar while gene frequencies in the metagenomes suggested that hydrogen-fed, carbon dioxide- and nitrogen-fixing populations were responsible for biofilm formation across the two aquifers. Metagenome analyses further suggested that only a subset of the populations were able to attach and produce an extracellular polysaccharide matrix. Initial biofilm formation is thus likely to be mediated by a few bacterial populations which were similar to Epsilonproteobacteria, Deltaproteobacteria, Betaproteobacteria, Verrucomicrobia, and unclassified bacteria. Populations potentially capable of attaching to a surface and to produce extracellular polysaccharide matrix for attachment were identified in the terrestrial deep biosphere. Our results suggest that the biofilm populations were taxonomically distinct from the planktonic community and were enriched in populations with a chemolithoautotrophic and diazotrophic metabolism coupling hydrogen oxidation to energy conservation under oligotrophic conditions.

Syngas fermentation by Clostridium carboxidivorans P7 in a horizontal rotating packed bed biofilm reactor with enhanced ethanol production

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Shen, Yanwen; Brown, Robert C.; Wen, Zhiyou

2017-01-01

Highlights: • A novel a horizontal rotating packed bed (h-RPB) reactor for syngas fermentation was reported. • The h-RPB reactor enhanced ethanol productivity by 3.3-folds compared to continuous stirred tank reactor (CSTR). • The h-RPB reactor has a unique feature of transfer gas from both bulk liquid phase and headspace phase. • The mass transfer in the headspace of h-PRB played an important role for enhanced ethanol production. - Abstract: Gasification of lignocellulosic biomass followed by syngas fermentation is a promising process for producing fuels and chemicals. Syngas fermentation, however, is commonly limited by low mass transfer rates. In this work, a horizontally oriented rotating packed bed (h-RPB) reactor was developed to improve mass transfer and enhance ethanol production. In the h-RPB reactor, cell attachment materials were packed in the reactor and half submerged in the liquid and half exposed to the headspace. With continuous rotation of the packing materials, the cells in biofilm were alternately in contact with liquid and headspace; thus, transport of syngas to the cells occurred in both the liquid phase and headspace. The volumetric mass transfer coefficient (k_La) of the h-RPB reactor was lower than that in a traditional continuous stirred tank reactor (CSTR), indicating the mass transfer in the liquid phase of h-PRB was lower than CSTR, and the mass transfer in the headspace phase played an important role in syngas fermentation. The syngas fermentation of Clostridium carboxidivorans P7 in h-RPB resulted in a 7.0 g/L titer and 6.7 g/L/day productivity of ethanol, respectively, 3.3 times higher than those obtained in a CSTR under the same operational conditions. The results demonstrate that the h-RPB reactor is an efficient system for syngas fermentation, making cellulosic ethanol biorefinery one step closer to technical and economic feasibility.

Initial development and structure of biofilms on microbial fuel cell anodes

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Keller Jürg

2010-04-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Microbial fuel cells (MFCs rely on electrochemically active bacteria to capture the chemical energy contained in organics and convert it to electrical energy. Bacteria develop biofilms on the MFC electrodes, allowing considerable conversion capacity and opportunities for extracellular electron transfer (EET. The present knowledge on EET is centred around two Gram-negative models, i.e. Shewanella and Geobacter species, as it is believed that Gram-positives cannot perform EET by themselves as the Gram-negatives can. To understand how bacteria form biofilms within MFCs and how their development, structure and viability affects electron transfer, we performed pure and co-culture experiments. Results Biofilm viability was maintained highest nearer the anode during closed circuit operation (current flowing, in contrast to when the anode was in open circuit (soluble electron acceptor where viability was highest on top of the biofilm, furthest from the anode. Closed circuit anode Pseudomonas aeruginosa biofilms were considerably thinner compared to the open circuit anode (30 ± 3 μm and 42 ± 3 μm respectively, which is likely due to the higher energetic gain of soluble electron acceptors used. The two Gram-positive bacteria used only provided a fraction of current produced by the Gram-negative organisms. Power output of co-cultures Gram-positive Enterococcus faecium and either Gram-negative organisms, increased by 30-70% relative to the single cultures. Over time the co-culture biofilms segregated, in particular, Pseudomonas aeruginosa creating towers piercing through a thin, uniform layer of Enterococcus faecium. P. aeruginosa and E. faecium together generated a current of 1.8 ± 0.4 mA while alone they produced 0.9 ± 0.01 and 0.2 ± 0.05 mA respectively. Conclusion We postulate that this segregation may be an essential difference in strategy for electron transfer and substrate capture between the Gram-negative and the Gram

Model-Based Feasibility Assessment of Membrane Biofilm Reactor to Achieve Simultaneous Ammonium, Dissolved Methane, and Sulfide Removal from Anaerobic Digestion Liquor

Science.gov (United States)

Chen, Xueming; Liu, Yiwen; Peng, Lai; Yuan, Zhiguo; Ni, Bing-Jie

2016-01-01

In this study, the membrane biofilm reactor (MBfR) is proposed to achieve simultaneous removal of ammonium, dissolved methane, and sulfide from main-stream and side-stream anaerobic digestion liquors. To avoid dissolved methane stripping, oxygen is introduced through gas-permeable membranes, which also from the substratum for the growth of a biofilm likely comprising ammonium oxidizing bacteria (AOB), anaerobic ammonium oxidation (Anammox) bacteria, denitrifying anaerobic methane oxidation (DAMO) microorganisms, aerobic methane oxidizing bacteria (MOB), and sulfur oxidizing bacteria (SOB). A mathematical model is developed and applied to assess the feasibility of such a system and the associated microbial community structure under different operational conditions. The simulation studies demonstrate the feasibility of achieving high-level (>97.0%), simultaneous removal of ammonium, dissolved methane, and sulfide in the MBfRs from both main-stream and side-stream anaerobic digestion liquors through adjusting the influent surface loading (or hydraulic retention time (HRT)) and the oxygen surface loading. The optimal HRT was found to be inversely proportional to the corresponding oxygen surface loading. Under the optimal operational conditions, AOB, DAMO bacteria, MOB, and SOB dominate the biofilm of the main-stream MBfR, while AOB, Anammox bacteria, DAMO bacteria, and SOB coexist in the side-stream MBfR to remove ammonium, dissolved methane, and sulfide simultaneously. PMID:27112502

Biofilms as bio-indicator for polluted waters? Total reflection X-ray fluorescence analysis of biofilms of the Tisza river (Hungary)

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Mages, Margarete; Ovari, Mihaly; Tuempling, Wolf v. [Department of Inland Water Research Magdeburg, UFZ Centre for Environmental Research Leipzig-Halle, Brueckstrasse 3a, 39114, Magdeburg (Germany); Kroepfl, Krisztina [Department of Chemical Technology and Environmental Chemistry, Eoetvoes University, Pazmany Peter setany 1/A, 1117, Budapest (Hungary)

2004-02-01

The aim of this work was to investigate the heavy metal accumulation by natural biofilms living in the catchment area of the Tisza river in Hungary, as well as in biofilms cultivated in vitro. Laboratory tests have demonstrated that metals can be adsorbed on biofilms, depending on their concentration and on the availability of free sorptive places. Biofilms were cultivated in vitro in natural freshwater from the Saale river, Germany. After reaching the plateau phase, Cu was added to reach a concentration of 100 {mu}g/L. An increase of its mass fraction in the biofilm was observed, which caused the decrease of the concentration in the water phase. Unfortunately, the reactor wall was also found to act as adsorbent for Cu. More detailed results of our in vitro experiments will be published in a forthcoming paper. Naturally grown biofilm samples from exposed as well as background places at the Hungarian rivers Szamos and Tisza were collected in 2000 and 2002 after the cyanide spill, and analysed using total reflection X-ray fluorescence analysis (TXRF). Metal mass fraction differences as high as two orders of magnitude were found between polluted and unpolluted (background) sampling points. Extremely high concentration values, e.g. 5600 {mu}g/g Zn in biofilm, were found at highly polluted sampling points. This means an enrichment factor of ca. 10,000 compared to the water phase. (orig.)

Commonly used disinfectants fail to eradicate Salmonella enterica biofilms from food contact surface materials.

Science.gov (United States)

Corcoran, M; Morris, D; De Lappe, N; O'Connor, J; Lalor, P; Dockery, P; Cormican, M

2014-02-01

Salmonellosis is the second most common cause of food-borne illness worldwide. Contamination of surfaces in food processing environments may result in biofilm formation with a risk of food contamination. Effective decontamination of biofilm-contaminated surfaces is challenging. Using the CDC biofilm reactor, the activities of sodium hypochlorite, sodium hydroxide, and benzalkonium chloride were examined against an early (48-h) and relatively mature (168-h) Salmonella biofilm. All 3 agents result in reduction in viable counts of Salmonella; however, only sodium hydroxide resulted in eradication of the early biofilm. None of the agents achieved eradication of mature biofilm, even at the 90-min contact time. Studies of activity of chemical disinfection against biofilm should include assessment of activity against mature biofilm. The difficulty of eradication of established Salmonella biofilm serves to emphasize the priority of preventing access of Salmonella to postcook areas of food production facilities.

An evaluation of the performance and optimization of a new wastewater treatment technology: the air suction flow-biofilm reactor.

Science.gov (United States)

Forde, P; Kennelly, C; Gerrity, S; Collins, G; Clifford, Eoghan

2015-01-01

In this laboratory study, a novel wastewater treatment technology, the air suction flow-biofilm reactor (ASF-BR) - a sequencing batch biofilm reactor technology with a passive aeration mechanism - was investigated for its efficiency in removing organic carbon, nitrogen and phosphorus, from high-strength synthetic wastewaters. A laboratory-scale ASF-BR comprising 2 reactors, 350 mm in diameter and 450 mm in height, was investigated over 2 studies (Studies 1 and 2) for a total of 430 days. Study 1 lasted a total of 166 days and involved a 9-step sequence alternating between aeration, anoxic treatment and settlement. The cycle time was 12.1 h and the reactors were operated at a substrate loading rate of 3.60 g filtered chemical oxygen demand (CODf)/m2 media/d, 0.28 g filtered total nitrogen (TNf)/m2 media/d, 0.24 g ammonium-nitrogen (NH4-N)/m2 media/d and 0.07 g ortho-phosphate (PO4-P)/m2 media/d. The average removal rates achieved during Study 1 were 98% CODf, 88% TNf, 97% NH4-N and 35% PO4-P. During Study 2 (264 days), the unit was operated at a loading rate of 2.49 g CODf/m2 media/d, 0.24 g TNf/m2 media/d, 0.20 g NH4-N/m2 media/d and 0.06 PO4-P/m2 media/d. The energy requirement during this study was reduced by modifying the treatment cycle in include fewer pumping cycles. Removal rates in Study 2 averaged 97% CODf, 86% TNf, 99% NH4-N and 76% PO4-P. The excess sludge production of the system was evaluated and detailed analyses of the treatment cycles were carried out. Biomass yields were estimated at 0.09 g SS/g CODf, removed and 0.21 g SS/g CODf, removed for Studies 1 and 2, respectively. Gene analysis showed that the use of a partial vacuum did not affect the growth of ammonia-oxidizing bacteria. The results indicate that the ASF-BR and passive aeration technologies can offer efficient alternatives to existing technologies.

Diagnosis of biofilm infections in cystic fibrosis patients

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Høiby, Niels; Bjarnsholt, Thomas; Moser, Claus

2017-01-01

Chronic Pseudomonas aeruginosa biofilm lung infection in cystic fibrosis patients is the best described biofilm infection in medicine. The initial focus can be the paranasal sinuses and then follows repeated colonization and infection of the lungs by aspiration. The matrix of the biofilms is domi...... by other pathogens e.g., Stenotrophomonas, Burkholderia multivorans, Achromobacter xylosoxidans and Mycobacterium abscessus complex....

Design and initial performance of the Sandia Pulsed Reactor-III

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Reuscher, J.A.; Estes, B.F.

1976-01-01

The Sandia Pulsed Reactor-III (SPR-III) is a new fast pulsed reactor which has recently undergone initial testing at Sandia Laboratories. SPR-III is a uranium-10 weight percent molybdenum fuel assembly with a 17.78 cm irradiation cavity similar in design to SPR-II which has been in operation since 1967. The basic SPR-III design utilizes the same split-core configuration which has been proven with SPR-II; however, SPR-III uses external reflectors for control and external bolts to hold the fuel plates together. The core consists of sixteen fuel plates with an inside diameter of 17.78 cm, an outside diameter of 29.72 cm, and a core height of 31.9 cm. The fuel mass is about 227 kg of fully enriched uranium-10 weight percent molybdenum alloy. SPR III has completed the initial series of startup tests which included the critical experiment, zero and low-power tests, and pulse testing. The reactor design and results from the initial testing program are described in this paper. A portion of the startup experiments with SPR-III have been completed and this paper discusses the more important aspects of the initial testing program

Multiple roles of biosurfactants in structural biofilm development by Pseudomonas aeruginosa

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Pamp, Sünje Johanna; Tolker-Nielsen, Tim

2007-01-01

Recent studies have indicated that biosurfactants produced by Pseudomonas aeruginosa play a role both in maintaining channels between multicellular structures in biofilms and in dispersal of cells from biofilms. Through the use of flow cell technology and enhanced confocal laser scanning microscopy......, we have obtained results which suggest that the biosurfactants produced by P. aeruginosa play additional roles in structural biofilm development. We present genetic evidence that during biofilm development by P. aeruginosa, biosurfactants promote microcolony formation in the initial phase...... and facilitate migration-dependent structural development in the later phase. P. aeruginosa rhl4 mutants, deficient in synthesis of biosurfactants, were not capable of forming microcolonies in the initial phase of biofilm formation. Experiments involving two-color-coded mixed-strain biofilms showed that P...

Bacterial Composition of Biofilms Collected From Two Service Areas in a Metropolitan Drinking Water Distribution System

Science.gov (United States)

The development and succession of bacteria were examined by 16S rRNA gene clone libraries generated from various biofilms within a metropolitan water distribution system. Biofilms were obtained from off-line devices using polycarbonate coupons from annular reactors incubated for ...

Simplified modeling of simultaneous reaction kinetics of carbon oxidation and nitrification in biofilm processes

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Tsuneda, S.; Auresenia, J.; Hibiya, K.; Hirata, A. [Waseda University, Department of Chemical Engineering, 3-4-1 Ohkubo, Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo 169-8555 (Japan)

2004-06-01

Batch experiments with varying initial substrate concentrations and biomass volumes were performed in a three-phase fluidized bed biofilm reactor treating simulated domestic wastewater to study the simultaneous carbon oxidation and nitrification in the biofilm process. A simplified mass balance equation for the biofilm was proposed and five different kinetic rate equations were used to match the actual data. The kinetic parameters were obtained by nonlinear regression analysis on a set of two differential equations representing the simultaneous carbon oxidation and nitrification. The competitive inhibition model incorporating the effects of total organic carbon (TOC) concentrations on nitrification rates was the best-suited model based on the average r{sup 2}. In this model, oxygen concentration and its affinity constants were not included. Instead, it was assumed that the rate of carbon oxidation is independent of the NH{sub 4}{sup +}-N, while nitrification is affected by TOC. The number of parameters was successfully minimized without reducing its ability to accurately predict the bulk concentration time course, which would reduce computational complexity and possibly enhance the availability for an actual wastewater treatment process. (Abstract Copyright [2004], Wiley Periodicals, Inc.)

A biofilm microreactor system for simultaneous electrochemical and nuclear magnetic resonance techniques

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Renslow, Ryan S.; Babauta, Jerome T.; Majors, Paul D.; Mehta, Hardeep S.; Ewing, R. James; Ewing, Thomas; Mueller, Karl T.; Beyenal, Haluk

2014-01-01

In order to fully understand electrochemically active biofilms and the limitations to their scale-up in industrial biofilm reactors, a complete picture of the microenvironments inside the biofilm is needed. Nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) techniques are ideally suited for the study of biofilms and for probing their microenvironments because these techniques allow for non-invasive interrogation and in situ monitoring with high resolution. By combining NMR with simultaneous electrochemical techniques, it is possible to sustain and study live electrochemically active biofilms. Here, we introduce a novel biofilm microreactor system that allows for simultaneous electrochemical and NMR techniques (EC-NMR) at the microscale. Microreactors were designed with custom radiofrequency resonator coils, which allowed for NMR measurements of biofilms growing on polarized gold electrodes. For an example application of this system, we grew Geobacter sulfurreducens biofilms. NMR was used to investigate growth media flow velocities, which were compared to simulated laminar flow, and electron donor concentrations inside the biofilms. We use Monte Carlo error analysis to estimate standard deviations of the electron donor concentration measurements within the biofilm. The EC-NMR biofilm microreactor system can ultimately be used to correlate extracellular electron transfer rates with metabolic reactions and explore extracellular electron transfer mechanisms

Nutrient depletion in Bacillus subtilis biofilms triggers matrix production

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Zhang, Wenbo; Seminara, Agnese; Suaris, Melanie; Angelini, Thomas E; Brenner, Michael P; Weitz, David A

2014-01-01

Many types of bacteria form colonies that grow into physically robust and strongly adhesive aggregates known as biofilms. A distinguishing characteristic of bacterial biofilms is an extracellular polymeric substance (EPS) matrix that encases the cells and provides physical integrity to the colony. The EPS matrix consists of a large amount of polysaccharide, as well as protein filaments, DNA and degraded cellular materials. The genetic pathways that control the transformation of a colony into a biofilm have been widely studied, and yield a spatiotemporal heterogeneity in EPS production. Spatial gradients in metabolites parallel this heterogeneity in EPS, but nutrient concentration as an underlying physiological initiator of EPS production has not been explored. Here, we study the role of nutrient depletion in EPS production in Bacillus subtilis biofilms. By monitoring simultaneously biofilm size and matrix production, we find that EPS production increases at a critical colony thickness that depends on the initial amount of carbon sources in the medium. Through studies of individual cells in liquid culture we find that EPS production can be triggered at the single-cell level by reducing nutrient concentration. To connect the single-cell assays with conditions in the biofilm, we calculate carbon concentration with a model for the reaction and diffusion of nutrients in the biofilm. This model predicts the relationship between the initial concentration of carbon and the thickness of the colony at the point of internal nutrient deprivation. (paper)

Initiating Event Analysis of a Lithium Fluoride Thorium Reactor

Science.gov (United States)

Geraci, Nicholas Charles

The primary purpose of this study is to perform an Initiating Event Analysis for a Lithium Fluoride Thorium Reactor (LFTR) as the first step of a Probabilistic Safety Assessment (PSA). The major objective of the research is to compile a list of key initiating events capable of resulting in failure of safety systems and release of radioactive material from the LFTR. Due to the complex interactions between engineering design, component reliability and human reliability, probabilistic safety assessments are most useful when the scope is limited to a single reactor plant. Thus, this thesis will study the LFTR design proposed by Flibe Energy. An October 2015 Electric Power Research Institute report on the Flibe Energy LFTR asked "what-if?" questions of subject matter experts and compiled a list of key hazards with the most significant consequences to the safety or integrity of the LFTR. The potential exists for unforeseen hazards to pose additional risk for the LFTR, but the scope of this thesis is limited to evaluation of those key hazards already identified by Flibe Energy. These key hazards are the starting point for the Initiating Event Analysis performed in this thesis. Engineering evaluation and technical study of the plant using a literature review and comparison to reference technology revealed four hazards with high potential to cause reactor core damage. To determine the initiating events resulting in realization of these four hazards, reference was made to previous PSAs and existing NRC and EPRI initiating event lists. Finally, fault tree and event tree analyses were conducted, completing the logical classification of initiating events. Results are qualitative as opposed to quantitative due to the early stages of system design descriptions and lack of operating experience or data for the LFTR. In summary, this thesis analyzes initiating events using previous research and inductive and deductive reasoning through traditional risk management techniques to

Biodegradation of a commercial mixture of the herbicides atrazine and S-metolachlor in a multi-channel packed biofilm reactor.

Science.gov (United States)

Cabrera-Orozco, Alberto; Galíndez-Nájera, Silvia Patricia; Ruiz-Ordaz, Nora; Galíndez-Mayer, Juvencio; Martínez-Jerónimo, Fernando

2017-11-01

Atrazine and S-metolachlor are two of the most widely used herbicides for agricultural purposes; consequently, residues of both compounds and their metabolites had been detected in ground and superficial waters. Unlike atrazine, the complete degradation of metolachlor has not been achieved. Hence, the purpose of this research is to study the biodegradation of a commercial mixture of atrazine and S-metolachlor in a prototype of a multi-channel packed-bed-biofilm reactor (MC-PBR) designed with the aim of solving the problems of pressure drop and oxygen transfer, typically found on this type of bioreactors.Because the removal efficiency of the herbicides was increased when Candida tropicalis was added to the original microbial community isolated, the reactor was inoculated with this enriched community. The operational conditions tested in batch and continuous mode did not affect the removal efficiency of atrazine; however, this was not the case for S-metolachlor. The removal rates and efficiencies showed a notable variation along the MC-PBR operation.

Nitrogen removal in a single-chamber microbial fuel cell with nitrifying biofilm enriched at the air cathode

KAUST Repository

Yan, Hengjing; Saito, Tomonori; Regan, John M.

2012-01-01

biofilm MFCs had lower Coulombic efficiencies (up to 27%) than the control reactor (up to 36%). The maximum total nitrogen removal efficiency reached 93.9% for MFCs with the DEA binder. The DEA binder accelerated nitrifier biofilm enrichment on the cathode

Application of biofilm bioreactors in white biotechnology.

Science.gov (United States)

Muffler, K; Lakatos, M; Schlegel, C; Strieth, D; Kuhne, S; Ulber, R

2014-01-01

The production of valuable compounds in industrial biotechnology is commonly done by cultivation of suspended cells or use of (immobilized) enzymes rather than using microorganisms in an immobilized state. Within the field of wastewater as well as odor treatment the application of immobilized cells is a proven technique. The cells are entrapped in a matrix of extracellular polymeric compounds produced by themselves. The surface-associated agglomerate of encapsulated cells is termed biofilm. In comparison to common immobilization techniques, toxic effects of compounds used for cell entrapment may be neglected. Although the economic impact of biofilm processes used for the production of valuable compounds is negligible, many prospective approaches were examined in the laboratory and on a pilot scale. This review gives an overview of biofilm reactors applied to the production of valuable compounds. Moreover, the characteristics of the utilized materials are discussed with respect to support of surface-attached microbial growth.

Characterization of microbial biofilms in a thermophilic biogas system by high-throughput metagenome sequencing.

Science.gov (United States)

Rademacher, Antje; Zakrzewski, Martha; Schlüter, Andreas; Schönberg, Mandy; Szczepanowski, Rafael; Goesmann, Alexander; Pühler, Alfred; Klocke, Michael

2012-03-01

DNAs of two biofilms of a thermophilic two-phase leach-bed biogas reactor fed with rye silage and winter barley straw were sequenced by 454-pyrosequencing technology to assess the biofilm-based microbial community and their genetic potential for anaerobic digestion. The studied biofilms matured on the surface of the substrates in the hydrolysis reactor (HR) and on the packing in the anaerobic filter reactor (AF). The classification of metagenome reads showed Clostridium as most prevalent bacteria in the HR, indicating a predominant role for plant material digestion. Notably, insights into the genetic potential of plant-degrading bacteria were determined as well as further bacterial groups, which may assist Clostridium in carbohydrate degradation. Methanosarcina and Methanothermobacter were determined as most prevalent methanogenic archaea. In consequence, the biofilm-based methanogenesis in this system might be driven by the hydrogenotrophic pathway but also by the aceticlastic methanogenesis depending on metabolite concentrations such as the acetic acid concentration. Moreover, bacteria, which are capable of acetate oxidation in syntrophic interaction with methanogens, were also predicted. Finally, the metagenome analysis unveiled a large number of reads with unidentified microbial origin, indicating that the anaerobic degradation process may also be conducted by up to now unknown species. © 2011 Federation of European Microbiological Societies. Published by Blackwell Publishing Ltd. All rights reserved.

Anti-Biofilm Compounds Derived from Marine Sponges

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Christian Melander

2011-10-01

Full Text Available Bacterial biofilms are surface-attached communities of microorganisms that are protected by an extracellular matrix of biomolecules. In the biofilm state, bacteria are significantly more resistant to external assault, including attack by antibiotics. In their native environment, bacterial biofilms underpin costly biofouling that wreaks havoc on shipping, utilities, and offshore industry. Within a host environment, they are insensitive to antiseptics and basic host immune responses. It is estimated that up to 80% of all microbial infections are biofilm-based. Biofilm infections of indwelling medical devices are of particular concern, since once the device is colonized, infection is almost impossible to eliminate. Given the prominence of biofilms in infectious diseases, there is a notable effort towards developing small, synthetically available molecules that will modulate bacterial biofilm development and maintenance. Here, we highlight the development of small molecules that inhibit and/or disperse bacterial biofilms specifically through non-microbicidal mechanisms. Importantly, we discuss several sets of compounds derived from marine sponges that we are developing in our labs to address the persistent biofilm problem. We will discuss: discovery/synthesis of natural products and their analogues—including our marine sponge-derived compounds and initial adjuvant activity and toxicological screening of our novel anti-biofilm compounds.

Biodegradation of pharmaceuticals from hospital wastewater in staged Moving Bed Biofilm Reactors (MBBR)

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Escola, Monica; Kumar Chhetri, Ravi; Ooi, Gordon

2015-01-01

on biofilms that are grown on plastic-chips which are suspended and aerated in a treatment tank. Such biofilm systems have shown a clear (but slow) biodegradation of some compounds that are recalcitrant in activated sludge. This study investigated the performance of a pilot MBBR-plant for the removal...

Antimicrobial blue light inactivation of biofilms formed by clinical isolates of multidrug-resistant microorganisms

Science.gov (United States)

Ferrer-Espada, Raquel; Fang, Yanyan; Dai, Tianhong

2018-02-01

Antibiotic resistance is one of the most serious threats to public health. It is estimated that at least 23,000 people die each year in the USA as a direct result of antibiotic-resistant infections. In addition, many antibiotic-resistant microorganisms develop biofilms, surface-associated microbial communities that are extremely resistant to antibiotics and the immune system. A light-based approach, antimicrobial blue light (aBL), has attracted increasing attention due to its intrinsic antimicrobial effect without the involvement of exogenous photosensitizers. In this study, we investigated the effectiveness of this non-antibiotic approach against biofilms formed by multidrug-resistant (MDR) microorganisms. MDR Acinetobacter baumannii, Escherichia coli, Candida albicans, and Pseudomonas aeruginosa biofilms were grown either in 96-well microtiter plates for 24 h or in a CDC biofilm reactor for 48 h, and then exposed to aBL at 405 nm emitted from a light-emitting diode (LED). We demonstrated that, for the biofilms grown in the CDC biofilm reactor, approximately 1.88 log10 CFU reduction was achieved in A. baumannii, 2.78 log10 CFU in E. coli and 3.18 log10 CFU in P. aeruginosa after 162 J/cm2 , 576 J/cm2 and 500 J/cm2 aBL were delivered, respectively. For the biofilms formed in the 96-well microtiter plates, 5.67 and 2.46 log10 CFU reduction was observed in P. aeruginosa and C. albicans polymicrobial biofilm after an exposure of 216 J/cm2 . In conclusion, aBL is potentially an alternative non-antibiotic approach against MDR biofilm-related infections. Future studies are warranted to investigate other important MDR microorganisms, the mechanism of action of aBL, and aBL efficacy in vivo.

Crenarchaeal biofilm formation under extreme conditions.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Andrea Koerdt

Full Text Available BACKGROUND: Biofilm formation has been studied in much detail for a variety of bacterial species, as it plays a major role in the pathogenicity of bacteria. However, only limited information is available for the development of archaeal communities that are frequently found in many natural environments. METHODOLOGY: We have analyzed biofilm formation in three closely related hyperthermophilic crenarchaeotes: Sulfolobus acidocaldarius, S. solfataricus and S. tokodaii. We established a microtitre plate assay adapted to high temperatures to determine how pH and temperature influence biofilm formation in these organisms. Biofilm analysis by confocal laser scanning microscopy demonstrated that the three strains form very different communities ranging from simple carpet-like structures in S. solfataricus to high density tower-like structures in S. acidocaldarius in static systems. Lectin staining indicated that all three strains produced extracellular polysaccharides containing glucose, galactose, mannose and N-acetylglucosamine once biofilm formation was initiated. While flagella mutants had no phenotype in two days old static biofilms of S. solfataricus, a UV-induced pili deletion mutant showed decreased attachment of cells. CONCLUSION: The study gives first insights into formation and development of crenarchaeal biofilms in extreme environments.

Synergistic inactivation of anaerobic wastewater biofilm by free nitrous acid and hydrogen peroxide

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Jiang, Guangming; Yuan, Zhiguo

2013-01-01

Highlights: ► H 2 O 2 greatly enhances the inactivation of microorganisms in biofilms by FNA. ► About 2-log of inactivation of biofilm microbes was achieved by FNA + H 2 O 2 . ► FNA + H 2 O 2 reduced sulfide production and detached biofilm in reactors. -- Abstract: Free nitrous acid (FNA) was recently revealed to be a strong biocide for microbes in anaerobic biofilm, achieving approximately 1-log (90%) inactivation at a concentration of 0.2–0.3 mgHNO 2 -N/L with an exposure time longer than 6 h. The combined biocidal effects of FNA and hydrogen peroxide (H 2 O 2 ) on anaerobic wastewater biofilm are investigated in this study. H 2 O 2 greatly enhances the inactivation of microorganisms by FNA. About 2-log (99%) of microbial inactivation was achieved when biofilms were exposed to FNA at 0.2 mgN/L or above and H 2 O 2 at 30 mg/L or above for 6 h or longer. It was found, through response surface methodology and ridge analysis, that FNA is the primary inactivation agent and H 2 O 2 enhances its efficiency. The loss and the subsequent slow recovery of biological activity in biofilm reactors subjected to FNA and H 2 O 2 dosing confirmed that the chemical combination could achieve higher microbial inactivation than with FNA alone. Reaction simulation shows that intermediates of reactions between FNA and H 2 O 2 , like peroxynitrite and nitrogen dioxide, would be produced at elevated levels and are likely responsible for the synergism between FNA and H 2 O 2 . The combination of FNA and H 2 O 2 could potentially provide an effective solution to sewer biofilm control

Synergistic inactivation of anaerobic wastewater biofilm by free nitrous acid and hydrogen peroxide

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Jiang, Guangming, E-mail: gjiang@awmc.uq.edu.au [Advanced Water Management Centre, Gehrmann Building, Research Road, The University of Queensland, St. Lucia, Queensland 4072 (Australia); Yuan, Zhiguo, E-mail: zhiguo@awmc.uq.edu.au [Advanced Water Management Centre, Gehrmann Building, Research Road, The University of Queensland, St. Lucia, Queensland 4072 (Australia)

2013-04-15

Highlights: ► H{sub 2}O{sub 2} greatly enhances the inactivation of microorganisms in biofilms by FNA. ► About 2-log of inactivation of biofilm microbes was achieved by FNA + H{sub 2}O{sub 2}. ► FNA + H{sub 2}O{sub 2} reduced sulfide production and detached biofilm in reactors. -- Abstract: Free nitrous acid (FNA) was recently revealed to be a strong biocide for microbes in anaerobic biofilm, achieving approximately 1-log (90%) inactivation at a concentration of 0.2–0.3 mgHNO{sub 2}-N/L with an exposure time longer than 6 h. The combined biocidal effects of FNA and hydrogen peroxide (H{sub 2}O{sub 2}) on anaerobic wastewater biofilm are investigated in this study. H{sub 2}O{sub 2} greatly enhances the inactivation of microorganisms by FNA. About 2-log (99%) of microbial inactivation was achieved when biofilms were exposed to FNA at 0.2 mgN/L or above and H{sub 2}O{sub 2} at 30 mg/L or above for 6 h or longer. It was found, through response surface methodology and ridge analysis, that FNA is the primary inactivation agent and H{sub 2}O{sub 2} enhances its efficiency. The loss and the subsequent slow recovery of biological activity in biofilm reactors subjected to FNA and H{sub 2}O{sub 2} dosing confirmed that the chemical combination could achieve higher microbial inactivation than with FNA alone. Reaction simulation shows that intermediates of reactions between FNA and H{sub 2}O{sub 2}, like peroxynitrite and nitrogen dioxide, would be produced at elevated levels and are likely responsible for the synergism between FNA and H{sub 2}O{sub 2}. The combination of FNA and H{sub 2}O{sub 2} could potentially provide an effective solution to sewer biofilm control.

Axenic aerobic biofilms inhibit corrosion of copper and aluminum.

Science.gov (United States)

Jayaraman, A; Ornek, D; Duarte, D A; Lee, C C; Mansfeld, F B; Wood, T K

1999-11-01

The corrosion behavior of unalloyed copper and aluminum alloy 2024 in modified Baar's medium has been studied with continuous reactors using electrochemical impedance spectroscopy. An axenic aerobic biofilm of either Pseudomonas fragi K or Bacillus brevis 18 was able to lessen corrosion as evidenced by a consistent 20-fold increase in the low-frequency impedance value of copper as well as by a consistent four- to seven-fold increase in the polarization resistance of aluminum 2024 after six days exposure compared to sterile controls. This is the first report of axenic aerobic biofilms inhibiting generalized corrosion of copper and aluminum. Addition of the representative sulfate-reducing bacterium (SRB) Desulfovibrio vulgaris (to simulate consortia corrosion behavior) to either the P. fragi K or B. brevis 18 protective biofilm on copper increased the corrosion to that of the sterile control unless antibiotic (ampicillin) was added to inhibit the growth of SRB in the biofilm.

Reactor core and initially loaded reactor core of nuclear reactor

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Koyama, Jun-ichi; Aoyama, Motoo.

1989-01-01

In BWR type reactors, improvement for the reactor shutdown margin is an important characteristic condition togehter with power distribution flattening . However, in the reactor core at high burnup degree, the reactor shutdown margin is different depending on the radial position of the reactor core. That is , the reactor shutdown margin is smaller in the outer peripheral region than in the central region of the reactor core. In view of the above, the reactor core is divided radially into a central region and as outer region. The amount of fissionable material of first fuel assemblies newly loaded in the outer region is made less than the amount of the fissionable material of second fuel assemblies newly loaded in the central region, to thereby improve the reactor shutdown margin in the outer region. Further, the ratio between the amount of the fissionable material in the upper region and that of the fissionable material in the lower portion of the first fuel assemblies is made smaller than the ratio between the amount of the fissionable material in the upper region and that of the fissionable material in the lower region of the second fuel assemblies, to thereby obtain a sufficient thermal margin in the central region. (K.M.)

Biodegradation of pharmaceuticals in hospital wastewater by a hybrid biofilm and activated sludge system (Hybas)

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Escolà Casas, Mònica [Environmental Science, Aarhus University, Frederiksborgsvej 399, 4000 Roskilde (Denmark); Chhetri, Ravi Kumar [Department of Environmental Engineering, Technical University of Denmark, Miljøvej 113, 2800 Kgs. Lyngby (Denmark); Ooi, Gordon [Environmental Science, Aarhus University, Frederiksborgsvej 399, 4000 Roskilde (Denmark); Hansen, Kamilla M.S. [Department of Environmental Engineering, Technical University of Denmark, Miljøvej 113, 2800 Kgs. Lyngby (Denmark); Litty, Klaus [Department of Chemistry and Biotechnology, Danish Technological Institute, Kongsvang Allé 29, 8000 Aarhus C (Denmark); Christensson, Magnus [AnoxKaldnes, Klosterängsvägen 11A, 226 47 Lund (Sweden); Kragelund, Caroline [Department of Chemistry and Biotechnology, Danish Technological Institute, Kongsvang Allé 29, 8000 Aarhus C (Denmark); Andersen, Henrik R. [Department of Environmental Engineering, Technical University of Denmark, Miljøvej 113, 2800 Kgs. Lyngby (Denmark); Bester, Kai, E-mail: kb@envs.au.dk [Environmental Science, Aarhus University, Frederiksborgsvej 399, 4000 Roskilde (Denmark)

2015-10-15

Hospital wastewater contributes a significant input of pharmaceuticals into municipal wastewater. The combination of suspended activated sludge and biofilm processes, as stand-alone or as hybrid process (hybrid biofilm and activated sludge system (Hybas™)) has been suggested as a possible solution for hospital wastewater treatment. To investigate the potential of such a hybrid system for the removal of pharmaceuticals in hospital wastewater a pilot plant consisting of a series of one activated sludge reactor, two Hybas™ reactors and one moving bed biofilm reactor (MBBR) has been established and adapted during 10 months of continuous operation. After this adaption phase batch and continuous experiments were performed for the determination of degradation of pharmaceuticals. Removal of organic matter and nitrification mainly occurred in the first reactor. Most pharmaceuticals were removed significantly. The removal of pharmaceuticals (including X-ray contrast media, β-blockers, analgesics and antibiotics) was fitted to a single first-order kinetics degradation function, giving degradation rate constants from 0 to 1.49 h{sup −1}, from 0 to 7.78 × 10{sup −1} h{sup −1}, from 0 to 7.86 × 10{sup −1} h{sup −1} and from 0 to 1.07 × 10{sup −1} h{sup −1} for first, second, third and fourth reactors respectively. Generally, the highest removal rate constants were found in the first and third reactors while the lowest were found in the second one. When the removal rate constants were normalized to biomass amount, the last reactor (biofilm only) appeared to have the most effective biomass in respect to removing pharmaceuticals. In the batch experiment, out of 26 compounds, 16 were assessed to degrade more than 20% of the respective pharmaceutical within the Hybas™ train. In the continuous flow experiments, the measured removals were similar to those estimated from the batch experiments, but the concentrations of a few pharmaceuticals appeared to increase

Biodegradation of pharmaceuticals in hospital wastewater by a hybrid biofilm and activated sludge system (Hybas)

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Escolà Casas, Mònica; Chhetri, Ravi Kumar; Ooi, Gordon; Hansen, Kamilla M.S.; Litty, Klaus; Christensson, Magnus; Kragelund, Caroline; Andersen, Henrik R.; Bester, Kai

2015-01-01

Hospital wastewater contributes a significant input of pharmaceuticals into municipal wastewater. The combination of suspended activated sludge and biofilm processes, as stand-alone or as hybrid process (hybrid biofilm and activated sludge system (Hybas™)) has been suggested as a possible solution for hospital wastewater treatment. To investigate the potential of such a hybrid system for the removal of pharmaceuticals in hospital wastewater a pilot plant consisting of a series of one activated sludge reactor, two Hybas™ reactors and one moving bed biofilm reactor (MBBR) has been established and adapted during 10 months of continuous operation. After this adaption phase batch and continuous experiments were performed for the determination of degradation of pharmaceuticals. Removal of organic matter and nitrification mainly occurred in the first reactor. Most pharmaceuticals were removed significantly. The removal of pharmaceuticals (including X-ray contrast media, β-blockers, analgesics and antibiotics) was fitted to a single first-order kinetics degradation function, giving degradation rate constants from 0 to 1.49 h −1 , from 0 to 7.78 × 10 −1 h −1 , from 0 to 7.86 × 10 −1 h −1 and from 0 to 1.07 × 10 −1 h −1 for first, second, third and fourth reactors respectively. Generally, the highest removal rate constants were found in the first and third reactors while the lowest were found in the second one. When the removal rate constants were normalized to biomass amount, the last reactor (biofilm only) appeared to have the most effective biomass in respect to removing pharmaceuticals. In the batch experiment, out of 26 compounds, 16 were assessed to degrade more than 20% of the respective pharmaceutical within the Hybas™ train. In the continuous flow experiments, the measured removals were similar to those estimated from the batch experiments, but the concentrations of a few pharmaceuticals appeared to increase during the first treatment step

Morphological Change and Decreasing Transfer Rate of Biofilm-Featured Listeria monocytogenes EGDe.

Science.gov (United States)

Lee, Yuejia; Wang, Chinling

2017-03-01

Listeria monocytogenes , a lethal foodborne pathogen, has the ability to resist the hostile food processing environment and thus frequently contaminates ready-to-eat foods during processing. It is commonly accepted that the tendency of L. monocytogenes ' to generate biofilms on various surfaces enhances its resistance to the harshness of the food processing environment. However, the role of biofilm formation in the transferability of L. monocytogenes EGDe remains controversial. We examined the growth of Listeria biofilms on stainless steel surfaces and their effect on the transferability of L. monocytogenes EGDe. The experiments were a factorial 2 × 2 design with at least three biological replicates. Through scanning electron microscopy, a mature biofilm with intensive aggregates of cells was observed on the surface of stainless steel after 3 or 5 days of incubation, depending on the initial level of inoculation. During biofilm development, L. monocytogenes EGDe carried out binary fission vigorously before a mature biofilm was formed and subsequently changed its cellular morphology from rod shaped to sphere shaped. Furthermore, static biofilm, which was formed after 3 days of incubation at 25°C, significantly inhibited the transfer rate of L. monocytogenes EGDe from stainless steel blades to 15 bologna slices. During 7 days of storage at 4°C, however, bacterial growth rate was not significantly impacted by whether bacteria were transferred from biofilm and the initial concentrations of transferred bacteria on the slice. In conclusion, this study is the first to report a distinct change in morphology of L. monocytogenes EGDe at the late stage of biofilm formation. More importantly, once food is contaminated by L. monocytogenes EGDe, contamination proceeds independently of biofilm development and the initial level of contamination when food is stored at 4°C, even if contamination with L. monocytogenes EGDe was initially undetectable before storage.

Development of the floating sulphur biofilm reactor for sulphide ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

driniev

The formation of floating sulphur biofilm was observed in the microbial ecology studies of tannery ponds undertaken by the. Environmental Biotechnology Group at Rhodes University. This was related to the steep Redox gradients established at the air/ water interface of anaerobic, organically loaded and actively sulphate ...

Wound biofilms: lessons learned from oral biofilms

OpenAIRE

Mancl, Kimberly A.; Kirsner, Robert S.; Ajdic, Dragana

2013-01-01

Biofilms play an important role in the development and pathogenesis of many chronic infections. Oral biofilms, more commonly known as dental plaque,are a primary cause of oral diseases including caries, gingivitis and periodontitis. Oral biofilms are commonly studied as model biofilm systems as they are easily accessible, thus biofilm research in oral diseases is advanced with details of biofilm formation and bacterial interactions being well-elucidated. In contrast, wound research has relati...

Fractal analysis of Xylella fastidiosa biofilm formation

Science.gov (United States)

Moreau, A. L. D.; Lorite, G. S.; Rodrigues, C. M.; Souza, A. A.; Cotta, M. A.

2009-07-01

We have investigated the growth process of Xylella fastidiosa biofilms inoculated on a glass. The size and the distance between biofilms were analyzed by optical images; a fractal analysis was carried out using scaling concepts and atomic force microscopy images. We observed that different biofilms show similar fractal characteristics, although morphological variations can be identified for different biofilm stages. Two types of structural patterns are suggested from the observed fractal dimensions Df. In the initial and final stages of biofilm formation, Df is 2.73±0.06 and 2.68±0.06, respectively, while in the maturation stage, Df=2.57±0.08. These values suggest that the biofilm growth can be understood as an Eden model in the former case, while diffusion-limited aggregation (DLA) seems to dominate the maturation stage. Changes in the correlation length parallel to the surface were also observed; these results were correlated with the biofilm matrix formation, which can hinder nutrient diffusion and thus create conditions to drive DLA growth.

Fate of deposited cells in an aerobic binary bacterial biofilm

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Banks, M.K.

1989-01-01

A biofilm is a matrix of microbial cells and their extracellular products that is associated with a solid surface. Previous studies on biofilm development have employed only dissolved compounds as growth limiting substrates, without the influence of microbial species invading from the bulk liquid. The goal of this research project was to quantify the kinetics of processes governing suspended biomass turnover in biofilm systems, and the accompanying effects of suspended cell deposition on biofilm population dynamics. Experiments were conducted with two species of bacteria, Pseudomonas putida ATCC 11172 grown on glucose, and Hyphomicrobium ZV620 grown on methanol. Cryptic growth and particulate hydrolysis studies were evaluated, using combinations of these two bacteria, by measuring the uptake of radiolabelled cell lysis products, under batch conditions. Biofilms studies were performed to investigate bacterial deposition, continual biofilm removal by shear induced erosion, and biofilm ecology. Biofilms were developed in a flow cell reactor, under laminar flow conditions. Bacterial species were differentiated by radioactively labelling each species with their carbon substrate. A mathematical model was developed to predict the biofilm ecology of mixed cultures. The equations developed predict biofilm accumulation, as well as substrate and oxygen consumption. Results indicate that cryptic growth will occur for bacteria growing on their own species soluble lysis products and in some cases, bacteria growing on the soluble lysis products of other species. Particulate hydrolysis only occurred for Pseudomonas putida growing on Pseudomonas putida lysis products, but the lack of particulate hydrolysis occurring in the other studies may have been due to the short experimental period

Degradation of formaldehyde in anaerobic sequencing batch biofilm reactor (ASBBR)

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Pereira, N.S. [Laboratorio de Processos Biologicos (LPB), Departamento de Hidraulica e Saneamento, Escola de Engenharia de Sao Carlos (EESC), Universidade de Sao Paulo - USP, Engenharia Ambiental, Bloco 4-F, Av. Joao Dagnone, 1100 Santa Angelina, 13.563-120 Sao Carlos, SP (Brazil); Zaiat, M. [Laboratorio de Processos Biologicos (LPB), Departamento de Hidraulica e Saneamento, Escola de Engenharia de Sao Carlos (EESC), Universidade de Sao Paulo - USP, Engenharia Ambiental, Bloco 4-F, Av. Joao Dagnone, 1100 Santa Angelina, 13.563-120 Sao Carlos, SP (Brazil)], E-mail: zaiat@sc.usp.br

2009-04-30

The present study evaluated the degradation of formaldehyde in a bench-scale anaerobic sequencing batch reactor, which contained biomass immobilized in polyurethane foam matrices. The reactor was operated for 212 days at 35 deg. C with 8 h sequential cycles, under different affluent formaldehyde concentrations ranging from 31.6 to 1104.4 mg/L (formaldehyde loading rates from 0.08 to 2.78 kg/m{sup 3} day). The results indicate excellent reactor stability and over 99% efficiency in formaldehyde removal, with average effluent formaldehyde concentration of 3.6 {+-} 1.7 mg/L. Formaldehyde degradation rates increased from 204.9 to 698.3 mg/L h as the initial concentration of formaldehyde was increased from around 100 to around 1100 mg/L. However, accumulation of organic matter was observed in the effluent (chemical oxygen demand (COD) values above 500 mg/L) due to the presence of non-degraded organic acids, especially acetic and propionic acids. This observation poses an important question regarding the anaerobic route of formaldehyde degradation, which might differ substantially from that reported in the literature. The anaerobic degradation pathway can be associated with the formation of long-chain oligomers from formaldehyde. Such long- or short-chain polymers are probably the precursors of organic acid formation by means of acidogenic anaerobic microorganisms.

Degradation of formaldehyde in anaerobic sequencing batch biofilm reactor (ASBBR)

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Pereira, N.S.; Zaiat, M.

2009-01-01

The present study evaluated the degradation of formaldehyde in a bench-scale anaerobic sequencing batch reactor, which contained biomass immobilized in polyurethane foam matrices. The reactor was operated for 212 days at 35 deg. C with 8 h sequential cycles, under different affluent formaldehyde concentrations ranging from 31.6 to 1104.4 mg/L (formaldehyde loading rates from 0.08 to 2.78 kg/m 3 day). The results indicate excellent reactor stability and over 99% efficiency in formaldehyde removal, with average effluent formaldehyde concentration of 3.6 ± 1.7 mg/L. Formaldehyde degradation rates increased from 204.9 to 698.3 mg/L h as the initial concentration of formaldehyde was increased from around 100 to around 1100 mg/L. However, accumulation of organic matter was observed in the effluent (chemical oxygen demand (COD) values above 500 mg/L) due to the presence of non-degraded organic acids, especially acetic and propionic acids. This observation poses an important question regarding the anaerobic route of formaldehyde degradation, which might differ substantially from that reported in the literature. The anaerobic degradation pathway can be associated with the formation of long-chain oligomers from formaldehyde. Such long- or short-chain polymers are probably the precursors of organic acid formation by means of acidogenic anaerobic microorganisms

Transformation and sorption of illicit drug biomarkers in sewer biofilms

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Ramin, Pedram; Brock, Andreas Libonati; Causanilles Llanes, Ana

2017-01-01

, 16 drug biomarkers were selected, including the major human metabolites of mephedrone, methadone, cocaine, heroin, codeine and tetrahydrocannabinol (THC). Transformation and sorption of these substances were assessed in targeted batch experiments using laboratory-scale biofilm reactors operated under...

Surface conditioning with Escherichia coli cell wall components can reduce biofilm formation by decreasing initial adhesion

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Luciana C. Gomes

2017-07-01

Full Text Available Bacterial adhesion and biofilm formation on food processing surfaces pose major risks to human health. Non-efficient cleaning of equipment surfaces and piping can act as a conditioning layer that affects the development of a new biofilm post-disinfection. We have previously shown that surface conditioning with cell extracts could reduce biofilm formation. In the present work, we hypothesized that E. coli cell wall components could be implicated in this phenomena and therefore mannose, myristic acid and palmitic acid were tested as conditioning agents. To evaluate the effect of surface conditioning and flow topology on biofilm formation, assays were performed in agitated 96-well microtiter plates and in a parallel plate flow chamber (PPFC, both operated at the same average wall shear stress (0.07 Pa as determined by computational fluid dynamics (CFD. It was observed that when the 96-well microtiter plate and the PPFC were used to form biofilms at the same shear stress, similar results were obtained. This shows that the referred hydrodynamic feature may be a good scale-up parameter from high-throughput platforms to larger scale flow cell systems as the PPFC used in this study. Mannose did not have any effect on E. coli biofilm formation, but myristic and palmitic acid inhibited biofilm development by decreasing cell adhesion (in about 50%. These results support the idea that in food processing equipment where biofilm formation is not critical below a certain threshold, bacterial lysis and adsorption of cell components to the surface may reduce biofilm buildup and extend the operational time.

Application of phototrophic biofilms: from fundamentals to processes.

Science.gov (United States)

Strieth, D; Ulber, R; Muffler, K

2018-03-01

Biotechnological production of valuables by microorganisms is commonly achieved by cultivating the cells as suspended solids in an appropriate liquid medium. However, the main portion of these organisms features a surface-attached growth in their native habitats. The utilization of such biofilms shows significant challenges, e.g. concerning control of pH, nutrient supply, and heat/mass transfer. But the use of biofilms might also enable novel and innovative production processes addressing robustness and strength of the applied biocatalyst, for example if variable conditions might occur in the process or a feedstock (substrate) is changed in its composition. Besides the robustness of a biofilm, the high density of the immobilized biocatalyst facilitates a simple separation of the catalyst and the extracellular product, whereas intracellular target compounds occur in a concentrated form; thus, expenses for downstream processing can be drastically reduced. While phototrophic organisms feature a fabulous spectrum of metabolites ranging from biofuels to biologically active compounds, the low cell density of phototrophic suspension cultures is still limiting their application for production processes. The review is focusing on pro- and eukaryotic microalgae featuring the production of valuable compounds and highlights requirements for their cultivation as phototrophic biofilms, i.e. setup as well as operation of biofilm reactors, and modeling of phototrophic growth.

Biofilm formation and microbial community analysis of the simulated river bioreactor for contaminated source water remediation.

Science.gov (United States)

Xu, Xiang-Yang; Feng, Li-Juan; Zhu, Liang; Xu, Jing; Ding, Wei; Qi, Han-Ying

2012-06-01

The start-up pattern of biofilm remediation system affects the biofilm characteristics and operating performances. The objective of this study was to evaluate the performances of the contaminated source water remediation systems with different start-up patterns in view of the pollutants removal performances and microbial community succession. The operating performances of four lab-scale simulated river biofilm reactors were examined which employed different start-up methods (natural enrichment and artificial enhancement via discharging sediment with influent velocity gradient increase) and different bio-fillers (Elastic filler and AquaMats® ecobase). At the same time, the microbial communities of the bioreactors in different phases were analyzed by polymerase chain reaction, denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis, and sequencing. The pollutants removal performances became stable in the four reactors after 2 months' operation, with ammonia nitrogen and permanganate index (COD(Mn)) removal efficiencies of 84.41-94.21% and 69.66-76.60%, respectively. The biomass of mature biofilm was higher in the bioreactors by artificial enhancement than that by natural enrichment. Microbial community analysis indicated that elastic filler could enrich mature biofilm faster than AquaMats®. The heterotrophic bacteria diversity of biofilm decreased by artificial enhancement, which favored the ammonia-oxidizing bacteria (AOB) developing on the bio-fillers. Furthermore, Nitrosomonas- and Nitrosospira-like AOB coexisted in the biofilm, and Pseudomonas sp., Sphaerotilus sp., Janthinobacterium sp., Corynebacterium aurimucosum were dominant in the oligotrophic niche. Artificial enhancement via the combination of sediment discharging and influent velocity gradient increasing could enhance the biofilm formation and autotrophic AOB enrichment in oligotrophic niche.

Biofilms.

Science.gov (United States)

López, Daniel; Vlamakis, Hera; Kolter, Roberto

2010-07-01

The ability to form biofilms is a universal attribute of bacteria. Biofilms are multicellular communities held together by a self-produced extracellular matrix. The mechanisms that different bacteria employ to form biofilms vary, frequently depending on environmental conditions and specific strain attributes. In this review, we emphasize four well-studied model systems to give an overview of how several organisms form biofilms: Escherichia coli, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Bacillus subtilis, and Staphylococcus aureus. Using these bacteria as examples, we discuss the key features of biofilms as well as mechanisms by which extracellular signals trigger biofilm formation.

Nitrogen removal in a single-chamber microbial fuel cell with nitrifying biofilm enriched at the air cathode

KAUST Repository

Yan, Hengjing

2012-05-01

Nitrogen removal is needed in microbial fuel cells (MFCs) for the treatment of most waste streams. Current designs couple biological denitrification with side-stream or combined nitrification sustained by upstream or direct aeration, which negates some of the energy-saving benefits of MFC technology. To achieve simultaneous nitrification and denitrification, without extra energy input for aeration, the air cathode of a single-chamber MFC was pre-enriched with a nitrifying biofilm. Diethylamine-functionalized polymer (DEA) was used as the Pt catalyst binder on the cathode to improve the differential nitrifying biofilm establishment. With pre-enriched nitrifying biofilm, MFCs with the DEA binder had an ammonia removal efficiency of up to 96.8% and a maximum power density of 900 ± 25 mW/m 2, compared to 90.7% and 945 ± 42 mW/m 2 with a Nafion binder. A control with Nafion that lacked nitrifier pre-enrichment removed less ammonia and had lower power production (54.5% initially, 750 mW/m 2). The nitrifying biofilm MFCs had lower Coulombic efficiencies (up to 27%) than the control reactor (up to 36%). The maximum total nitrogen removal efficiency reached 93.9% for MFCs with the DEA binder. The DEA binder accelerated nitrifier biofilm enrichment on the cathode, and enhanced system stability. These results demonstrated that with proper cathode pre-enrichment it is possible to simultaneously remove organics and ammonia in a single-chamber MFC without supplemental aeration. © 2012 Elsevier Ltd.

Nitritation and denitritation of ammonium-rich wastewater using fluidized-bed biofilm reactors

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Aslan, Sukru [Cumhuriyet University, Department of Environmental Engineering, 58140 Sivas (Turkey)], E-mail: saslan@cumhuriyet.edu.tr; Dahab, Mohamed [Department of Civil Engineering, University of Nebraska-Lincoln, W348 Nebraska Hall, Lincoln, NE 68588 (United States)

2008-08-15

Fluidized-bed biofilm nitritation and denitritation reactors (FBBNR and FBBDR) were operated to eliminate the high concentrations of nitrogen by nitritation and denitritation process. The dissolved oxygen (DO) concentration was varied from 1.5 to 2.5 g/m{sup 3} at the top of the reactor throughout the experiment. NH{sub 4}-N conversion and NO{sub 2}-N accumulation in the nitritation reactor effluent was over 90 and 65%, respectively. The average NH{sub 4}-N removal efficiency was 99.2 and 90.1% at the NLR of 0.9 and 1.2 kg NH{sub 4}-N/m{sup 3} day, respectively. Increasing the NLR from 1.1 to 1.2 kg NH{sub 4}-N/m{sup 3} day decreased the NH{sub 4}-N elimination approximately two-fold while NH{sub 4}-N conversion to NO{sub 2}-N differences were negligible. The NO{sub 2}-N/NO{sub x}-N ratios corresponded to 0.74, 0.73, 0.72, and 0.69, respectively, indicating the occurrence of partial nitrification. An average free ammonia concentration in the FBBNR was high enough to inhibit nitrite oxidizers selectively, and it seems to be a determining factor for NO{sub 2}-N accumulation in the process. In the FBBDR, the NO{sub x}-N (NO{sub 2}-N + NO{sub 3}-N) concentrations supplied were between 227 and 330 mg N/l (NLR was between 0.08 and 0.4 kg/m{sup 3} day) and the influent flow was increased as long as the total nitrogen removal was close to 90%. The NO{sub 2}-N and NO{sub 3}-N concentrations in the effluent were 3.0 and 0.9 mg/l at 0.08 kg/m{sup 3} day loading rate. About 98% removal of NO{sub x}-N was achieved at the lowest NLR in the FBBDR. The FBBDR exhibited high nitrogen removal up to the NLR of 0.25 kg/m{sup 3} day. The NO{sub x}-N effluent concentration never exceeded 15 mg/l. The total nitrogen removal efficiency in the FBBRs was higher than 93% at 21 {+-} 1 deg. C.

Microbial interactions in drinking water biofilms

OpenAIRE

Simões, Lúcia C.; Simões, M.; Vieira, M. J.

2007-01-01

Drinking water distribution networks may be viewed as a large reactor where a number of chemical and microbiological processes are taking place. Control of microbial growth in drinking water distribution systems (DWDS) often achieved through the addition of disinfectants, is essential to limit the spread of waterborne pathogens. However, microorganisms can resist disinfection through protection within biofilms and resistant host cells. Recent studies into the microbial ecology ...

Effect of silver nanoparticles on Pseudomonas putida biofilms at different stages of maturity

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Thuptimdang, Pumis; Limpiyakorn, Tawan; McEvoy, John; Prüß, Birgit M.; Khan, Eakalak

2015-01-01

Highlights: • Biofilm stages in static batch conditions were similar to dynamic conditions. • Expression of csgA gene increased earlier than alg8 gene in biofilm maturation. • AgNPs had higher effect on less mature biofilms. • Removal of extracellular polymeric substance made biofilms susceptible to AgNPs. - Abstract: This study determined the effect of silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) on Pseudomonas putida KT2440 biofilms at different stages of maturity. Three biofilm stages (1–3, representing early to late stages of development) were identified from bacterial adenosine triphosphate (ATP) activity under static (96-well plate) and dynamic conditions (Center for Disease Control and Prevention biofilm reactor). Extracellular polymeric substance (EPS) levels, measured using crystal violet and total carbohydrate assays, and expression of the EPS-associated genes, csgA and alg8, supported the conclusion that biofilms at later stages were older than those at earlier stages. More mature biofilms (stages 2 and 3) showed little to no reduction in ATP activity following exposure to AgNPs. In contrast, the same treatment reduced ATP activity by more than 90% in the less mature stage 1 biofilms. Regardless of maturity, biofilms with EPS stripped off were more susceptible to AgNPs than controls with intact EPS, demonstrating that EPS is critical for biofilm tolerance of AgNPs. The findings from this study show that stage of maturity is an important factor to consider when studying effect of AgNPs on biofilms

Effect of silver nanoparticles on Pseudomonas putida biofilms at different stages of maturity

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Thuptimdang, Pumis, E-mail: pumis.th@gmail.com [International Program in Hazardous Substance and Environmental Management, Graduate School, Chulalongkorn University, Bangkok 10330 (Thailand); Center of Excellence on Hazardous Substance Management, Bangkok 10330 (Thailand); Limpiyakorn, Tawan, E-mail: tawan.l@chula.ac.th [Center of Excellence on Hazardous Substance Management, Bangkok 10330 (Thailand); Department of Environmental Engineering, Chulalongkorn University, Bangkok 10330 (Thailand); Research Unit Control of Emerging Micropollutants in Environment, Chulalongkorn University, Bangkok 10330 (Thailand); McEvoy, John, E-mail: john.mcevoy@ndsu.edu [Department of Veterinary and Microbiological Sciences, North Dakota State University, Fargo, ND 58108 (United States); Prüß, Birgit M., E-mail: birgit.pruess@ndsu.edu [Department of Veterinary and Microbiological Sciences, North Dakota State University, Fargo, ND 58108 (United States); Khan, Eakalak, E-mail: eakalak.khan@ndsu.edu [Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, North Dakota State University, Fargo, ND 58108 (United States)

2015-06-15

Highlights: • Biofilm stages in static batch conditions were similar to dynamic conditions. • Expression of csgA gene increased earlier than alg8 gene in biofilm maturation. • AgNPs had higher effect on less mature biofilms. • Removal of extracellular polymeric substance made biofilms susceptible to AgNPs. - Abstract: This study determined the effect of silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) on Pseudomonas putida KT2440 biofilms at different stages of maturity. Three biofilm stages (1–3, representing early to late stages of development) were identified from bacterial adenosine triphosphate (ATP) activity under static (96-well plate) and dynamic conditions (Center for Disease Control and Prevention biofilm reactor). Extracellular polymeric substance (EPS) levels, measured using crystal violet and total carbohydrate assays, and expression of the EPS-associated genes, csgA and alg8, supported the conclusion that biofilms at later stages were older than those at earlier stages. More mature biofilms (stages 2 and 3) showed little to no reduction in ATP activity following exposure to AgNPs. In contrast, the same treatment reduced ATP activity by more than 90% in the less mature stage 1 biofilms. Regardless of maturity, biofilms with EPS stripped off were more susceptible to AgNPs than controls with intact EPS, demonstrating that EPS is critical for biofilm tolerance of AgNPs. The findings from this study show that stage of maturity is an important factor to consider when studying effect of AgNPs on biofilms.

A new dry-surface biofilm model: An essential tool for efficacy testing of hospital surface decontamination procedures.

Science.gov (United States)

Almatroudi, Ahmad; Hu, Honghua; Deva, Anand; Gosbell, Iain B; Jacombs, Anita; Jensen, Slade O; Whiteley, Greg; Glasbey, Trevor; Vickery, Karen

2015-10-01

The environment has been shown to be a source of pathogens causing infections in hospitalised patients. Incorporation of pathogens into biofilms, contaminating dry hospital surfaces, prolongs their survival and renders them tolerant to normal hospital cleaning and disinfection procedures. Currently there is no standard method for testing efficacy of detergents and disinfectants against biofilm formed on dry surfaces. The aim of this study was to develop a reproducible method of producing Staphylococcus aureus biofilm with properties similar to those of biofilm obtained from dry hospital clinical surfaces, for use in efficacy testing of decontamination products. The properties (composition, architecture) of model biofilm and biofilm obtained from clinical dry surfaces within an intensive care unit were compared. The CDC Biofilm Reactor was adapted to create a dry surface biofilm model. S. aureus ATCC 25923 was grown on polycarbonate coupons. Alternating cycles of dehydration and hydration in tryptone soy broth (TSB) were performed over 12 days. Number of biofilm bacteria attached to individual coupons was determined by plate culture and the coefficient of variation (CV%) calculated. The DNA, glycoconjugates and protein content of the biofilm were determined by analysing biofilm stained with SYTO 60, Alexa-488-labelled Aleuria aurantia lectin and SyproOrange respectively using Image J and Imaris software. Biofilm architecture was analysed using live/dead staining and confocal microscopy (CM) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). Model biofilm was compared to naturally formed biofilm containing S. aureus on dry clinical surfaces. The CDC Biofilm reactor reproducibly formed a multi-layered, biofilm containing about 10(7) CFU/coupon embedded in thick extracellular polymeric substances. Within run CV was 9.5% and the between run CV was 10.1%. Protein was the principal component of both the in vitro model biofilm and the biofilms found on clinical surfaces. Continued

Combination of cupric ion with hydroxylamine and hydrogen peroxide for the control of bacterial biofilms on RO membranes.

Science.gov (United States)

Lee, Hye-Jin; Kim, Hyung-Eun; Lee, Changha

2017-03-01

Combinations of Cu(II) with hydroxylamine (HA) and hydrogen peroxide (H 2 O 2 ) (i.e., Cu(II)/HA, Cu(II)/H 2 O 2 , and Cu(II)/HA/H 2 O 2 systems) were investigated for the control of P. aeruginosa biofilms on reverse osmosis (RO) membranes. These Cu(II)-based disinfection systems effectively inactivated P. aeruginosa cells, exhibiting different behaviors depending on the state of bacterial cells (planktonic or biofilm) and the condition of biofilm growth and treatment (normal or pressurized condition). The Cu(II)/HA and Cu(II)/HA/H 2 O 2 systems were the most effective reagents for the inactivation of planktonic cells. However, these systems were not effective in inactivating cells in biofilms on the RO membranes possibly due to the interactions of Cu(I) with extracellular polymeric substances (EPS), where biofilms were grown and treated in center for disease control (CDC) reactors. Different from the results using CDC reactors, in a pressurized cross-flow RO filtration unit, the Cu(II)/HA/H 2 O 2 treatment significantly inactivated biofilm cells formed on the RO membranes, successfully recovering the permeate flux reduced by the biofouling. The pretreatment of feed solutions by Cu(II)/HA and Cu(II)/HA/H 2 O 2 systems (applied before the biofilm formation) effectively mitigated the permeate flux decline by preventing the biofilm growth on the RO membranes. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Treatment of petroleum refinery wastewater using a sequential anaerobic-aerobic moving-bed biofilm reactor system based on suspended ceramsite.

Science.gov (United States)

Lu, Mang; Gu, Li-Peng; Xu, Wen-Hao

2013-01-01

In this study, a novel suspended ceramsite was prepared, which has high strength, optimum density (close to water), and high porosity. The ceramsite was used to feed a moving-bed biofilm reactor (MBBR) system with an anaerobic-aerobic (A/O) arrangement to treat petroleum refinery wastewater for simultaneous removal of chemical oxygen demand (COD) and ammonium. The hydraulic retention time (HRT) of the anaerobic-aerobic MBBR system was varied from 72 to 18 h. The anaerobic-aerobic system had a strong tolerance to shock loading. Compared with the professional emission standard of China, the effluent concentrations of COD and NH3-N in the system could satisfy grade I at HRTs of 72 and 36 h, and grade II at HRT of 18 h. The average sludge yield of the anaerobic reactor was estimated to be 0.0575 g suspended solid/g CODremoved. This work demonstrated that the anaerobic-aerobic MBBR system using the suspended ceramsite as bio-carrier could be applied to achieving high wastewater treatment efficiency.

Optimal initial fuel distribution in a thermal reactor for maximum energy production

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Moran-Lopez, J.M.

1983-01-01

Using the fuel burnup as objective function, it is desired to determine the initial distribution of the fuel in a reactor in order to obtain the maximum energy possible, for which, without changing a fixed initial fuel mass, the results for different initial fuel and control poison configurations are analyzed and the corresponding running times compared. One-dimensional, two energy-group theory is applied to a reflected cylindrical reactor using U-235 as fuel and light water as moderator and reflector. Fissions in both fast and thermal groups are considered. The reactor is divided into several annular regions, and the constant flux approximation in each depletion step is then used to solve the fuel and fission-product poisons differential equations in each region. The computer code OPTIME was developed to determine the time variation of core properties during the fuel cycle. At each depletion step, OPTIME calls ODMUG, [12] a criticality search program, from which the spatially-averaged neutron fluxes and control poison cross sections are obtained

Application of a Loop-Type Laboratory Biofilm Reactor to the Evaluation of Biofilm for Some Metallic Materials and Polymers such as Urinary Stents and Catheters

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Hideyuki Kanematsu

2016-10-01

Full Text Available A laboratory biofilm reactor (LBR was modified to a new loop-type closed system in order to evaluate novel stents and catheter materials using 3D optical microscopy and Raman spectroscopy. Two metallic specimens, pure nickel and cupronickel (80% Cu-20% Ni, along with two polymers, silicone and polyurethane, were chosen as examples to ratify the system. Each set of specimens was assigned to the LBR using either tap water or an NB (Nutrient broth based on peptone from animal foods and beef extract mainly—cultured solution with E-coli formed over 48–72 h. The specimens were then analyzed using Raman Spectroscopy. 3D optical microscopy was employed to corroborate the Raman Spectroscopy results for only the metallic specimens since the inherent roughness of the polymer specimens made such measurements difficult. The findings suggest that the closed loop-type LBR together with Raman spectroscopy analysis is a useful method for evaluating biomaterials as a potential urinary system.

Initial verification and validation of RAZORBACK - A research reactor transient analysis code

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Talley, Darren G. [Sandia National Laboratories (SNL-NM), Albuquerque, NM (United States)

2015-09-01

This report describes the work and results of the initial verification and validation (V&V) of the beta release of the Razorback code. Razorback is a computer code designed to simulate the operation of a research reactor (such as the Annular Core Research Reactor (ACRR)) by a coupled numerical solution of the point reactor kinetics equations, the energy conservation equation for fuel element heat transfer, and the mass, momentum, and energy conservation equations for the water cooling of the fuel elements. This initial V&V effort was intended to confirm that the code work to-date shows good agreement between simulation and actual ACRR operations, indicating that the subsequent V&V effort for the official release of the code will be successful.

Electrochemical sensors for biofilm and biocorrosion

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Tribollet, B. [UPR 15 du CNRS, Universite Paris 6, 4 Place Jussieu, 75252 Paris Cedex05 (France)

2003-07-01

The presence of biofilm modifies the electrochemical properties of the interface and the mass transport near the interface. Two biofilm effects are damageable: the reduction of heat and/or mass transfer and the biocorrosion or microbiologically influenced corrosion (MIC). Two kinds of electrochemical sensors were developed: the first kind for the biofilm detection and the second one to evaluate the MIC risk. The biofilm detection is obtained by considering either the potential modification of the interface or the mass transport modification. The mass transport modification is analysed by considering the limiting diffusion current measured on a gold electrode where the biofilm development occurs. The MIC risk is evaluated with a sensor composed of two concentric electrodes in the material under investigation (e.g. carbon steel): a small disk electrode in the centre and a large ring. In a first step, a pit is artificially initiated by applying a current through these electrodes. In a second step, the risk factors of MIC are investigated by analysing the free coupling current circulating between these two short-circuited electrodes. (Abstract Copyright [2003], Wiley Periodicals, Inc.)

Antimicrobial Photoinactivation Using Visible Light Plus Water-Filtered Infrared-A (VIS + wIRA Alters In Situ Oral Biofilms.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

A Al-Ahmad

Full Text Available Recently, growing attention has been paid to antimicrobial photodynamic therapy (aPDT in dentistry. Changing the microbial composition of initial and mature oral biofilm by aPDT using visible light plus water-filtered infrared-A wavelengths (VIS + wIRA has not yet been investigated. Moreover, most aPDT studies have been conducted on planktonic bacterial cultures. Therefore, in the present clinical study we cultivated initial and mature oral biofilms in six healthy volunteers for 2 hours or 3 days, respectively. The biofilms were treated with aPDT using VIS+wIRA (200 mW cm(-2, toluidine blue (TB and chlorine e6 (Ce6 for 5 minutes. Chlorhexidine treated biofilm samples served as positive controls, while untreated biofilms served as negative controls. After aPDT treatment the colony forming units (CFU of the biofilm samples were quantified, and the surviving bacteria were isolated in pure cultures and identified using MALDI-TOF, biochemical tests and 16S rDNA-sequencing. aPDT killed more than 99.9% of the initial viable bacterial count and 95% of the mature oral biofilm in situ, independent of the photosensitizer. The number of surviving bacterial species was highly reduced to 6 (TB and 4 (Ce6 in the treated initial oral biofilm compared to the 20 different species of the untreated biofilm. The proportions of surviving bacterial species were also changed after TB- and Ce6-mediated aPDT of the mature oral biofilm, resulting in a shift in the microbial composition of the treated biofilm compared to that of the control biofilm. In conclusion, aPDT using VIS + wIRA showed a remarkable potential to eradicate both initial and mature oral biofilms, and also to markedly alter the remaining biofilm. This encourages the clinical use of aPDT with VIS + wIRA for the treatment of periimplantitis and periodontitis.

Anti-biofilm efficacy of low temperature processed AgCl–TiO2 nanocomposite coating

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Naik, Kshipra; Kowshik, Meenal

2014-01-01

Biofilms are a major concern in the medical settings and food industries due to their high tolerance to antibiotics, biocides and mechanical stress. Currently, the development of novel methods to control biofilm formation is being actively pursued. In the present study, sol–gel coatings of AgCl–TiO 2 nanoparticles are presented as potential anti-biofilm agents, wherein TiO 2 acts as a good supporting matrix to prevent aggregation of silver and facilitates its controlled release. Low-temperature processed AgCl–TiO 2 nanocomposite coatings inhibit biofilm formation by Escherichia coli, Staphylococcus epidermidis and Pseudomonas aeruginosa. In vitro biofilm assay experiments demonstrated that AgCl–TiO 2 nanocomposite coated surfaces, inhibited the development of biofilms over a period of 10 days as confirmed by scanning electron microscopy. The silver release kinetics exhibited an initial high release, followed by a slow and sustained release. The anti-biofilm efficacy of the coatings could be attributed to the release of silver, which prevents the initial bacterial adhesion required for biofilm formation. - Highlights: • Potential of AgCl–TiO 2 nanocomposite coating to inhibit biofilm formation is exhibited. • Initial rapid release followed by later slow and sustained release of silver obtained. • TiO 2 being porous and inorganic in nature acts as a good supporting matrix

Sulfate reducing bacteria and their activities in oil sands process-affected water biofilm

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Liu, Hong; Yu, Tong, E-mail: tong.yu@ualberta.ca; Liu, Yang, E-mail: yang.liu@ualberta.ca

2015-12-01

Biofilm reactors were constructed to grow stratified multispecies biofilm in oil sands process-affected water (OSPW) supplemented with growth medium. The development of sulfate reducing bacteria (SRB) within the biofilm and the biofilm treatment of OSPW were evaluated. The community structure and potential activity of SRB in the biofilm were investigated with H{sub 2}S microsensor measurements, dsrB gene-based denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis (DGGE), and the real time quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qPCR). Multispecies biofilm with a thickness of 1000 μm was successfully developed on engineered biocarriers. H{sub 2}S production was observed in the deeper anoxic zone of the biofilm from around 750 μm to 1000 μm below the bulk water-biofilm interface, revealing sulfate reduction in the deeper zone of the stratified biofilm. The biofilm removed chemical oxygen demand (COD), sulfate, and nitrogen. The study expands current knowledge of biofilm treatment of OSPW and the function of anaerobic SRB in OSPW biofilm, and thus provides information for future bioreactor development in the reclamation of OSPW. - Graphical abstract: The development of sulfate reducing bacteria (SRB) within Oil Sands Process-affected Water (OSPW) biofilm and the biofilm treatment of OSPW were evaluated by Liu and coworkers. Combined microsensor and molecular biology techniques were utilized in this study. Their results demonstrated that multispecies biofilm with a thickness of 1000 μm was successfully developed on engineered biocarriers. H{sub 2}S production was observed in the deeper anoxic zone of the biofilm from around 750 μm to 1000 μm below the bulk water-biofilm interface, revealing sulfate reduction in the deeper zone of the biofilm. The biofilm removed chemical oxygen demand (COD), sulfate, and nitrogen. - Highlights: • Biofilm in oil sands wastewater was developed on engineered biocarriers. • Bacterial community and in situ activity of SRB were studied in the

Sulfate reducing bacteria and their activities in oil sands process-affected water biofilm

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Liu, Hong; Yu, Tong; Liu, Yang

2015-01-01

Biofilm reactors were constructed to grow stratified multispecies biofilm in oil sands process-affected water (OSPW) supplemented with growth medium. The development of sulfate reducing bacteria (SRB) within the biofilm and the biofilm treatment of OSPW were evaluated. The community structure and potential activity of SRB in the biofilm were investigated with H 2 S microsensor measurements, dsrB gene-based denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis (DGGE), and the real time quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qPCR). Multispecies biofilm with a thickness of 1000 μm was successfully developed on engineered biocarriers. H 2 S production was observed in the deeper anoxic zone of the biofilm from around 750 μm to 1000 μm below the bulk water-biofilm interface, revealing sulfate reduction in the deeper zone of the stratified biofilm. The biofilm removed chemical oxygen demand (COD), sulfate, and nitrogen. The study expands current knowledge of biofilm treatment of OSPW and the function of anaerobic SRB in OSPW biofilm, and thus provides information for future bioreactor development in the reclamation of OSPW. - Graphical abstract: The development of sulfate reducing bacteria (SRB) within Oil Sands Process-affected Water (OSPW) biofilm and the biofilm treatment of OSPW were evaluated by Liu and coworkers. Combined microsensor and molecular biology techniques were utilized in this study. Their results demonstrated that multispecies biofilm with a thickness of 1000 μm was successfully developed on engineered biocarriers. H 2 S production was observed in the deeper anoxic zone of the biofilm from around 750 μm to 1000 μm below the bulk water-biofilm interface, revealing sulfate reduction in the deeper zone of the biofilm. The biofilm removed chemical oxygen demand (COD), sulfate, and nitrogen. - Highlights: • Biofilm in oil sands wastewater was developed on engineered biocarriers. • Bacterial community and in situ activity of SRB were studied in the biofilm. �

Combating biofilms

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Yang, Liang; Liu, Yang; Wu, Hong

2012-01-01

Biofilms are complex microbial communities consisting of microcolonies embedded in a matrix of self-produced polymer substances. Biofilm cells show much greater resistance to environmental challenges including antimicrobial agents than their free-living counterparts. The biofilm mode of life...... is believed to significantly contribute to successful microbial survival in hostile environments. Conventional treatment, disinfection and cleaning strategies do not proficiently deal with biofilm-related problems, such as persistent infections and contamination of food production facilities. In this review......, strategies to control biofilms are discussed, including those of inhibition of microbial attachment, interference of biofilm structure development and differentiation, killing of biofilm cells and induction of biofilm dispersion....

Inhibiting mild steel corrosion from sulfate-reducing bacteria using antimicrobial-producing biofilms in Three-Mile-Island process water.

Science.gov (United States)

Zuo, R; Ornek, D; Syrett, B C; Green, R M; Hsu, C-H; Mansfeld, F B; Wood, T K

2004-04-01

Biofilms were used to produce gramicidin S (a cyclic decapeptide) to inhibit corrosion-causing, sulfate-reducing bacteria (SRB). In laboratory studies these biofilms protected mild steel 1010 continuously from corrosion in the aggressive, cooling service water of the AmerGen Three-Mile-Island (TMI) nuclear plant, which was augmented with reference SRB. The growth of both reference SRB (Gram-positive Desulfosporosinus orientis and Gram-negative Desulfovibrio vulgaris) was shown to be inhibited by supernatants of the gramicidin-S-producing bacteria as well as by purified gramicidin S. Electrochemical impedance spectroscopy and mass loss measurements showed that the protective biofilms decreased the corrosion rate of mild steel by 2- to 10-fold when challenged with the natural SRB of the TMI process water supplemented with D. orientis or D. vulgaris. The relative corrosion inhibition efficiency was 50-90% in continuous reactors, compared to a biofilm control which did not produce the antimicrobial gramicidin S. Scanning electron microscope and reactor images also revealed that SRB attack was thwarted by protective biofilms that secrete gramicidin S. A consortium of beneficial bacteria (GGPST consortium, producing gramicidin S and other antimicrobials) also protected the mild steel.

Resilience and recovery: The effect of triclosan exposure timing during development, on the structure and function of river biofilm communities

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Lawrence, J.R., E-mail: john.lawrence@ec.gc.ca [Environment Canada, 11 Innovation Blvd., Saskatoon, SK S7N 3H5 (Canada); Topp, E. [Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada, London, ON (Canada); Waiser, M.J.; Tumber, V.; Roy, J.; Swerhone, G.D.W. [Environment Canada, 11 Innovation Blvd., Saskatoon, SK S7N 3H5 (Canada); Leavitt, P. [University of Regina, Regina, SK (Canada); Paule, A. [Global Institute for Water Security, University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, SK (Canada); Korber, D.R. [Food and Bioproduct Sciences, University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, SK (Canada)

2015-04-15

Highlights: • Triclosan negatively affected structure and metabolism of biofilms under all exposure conditions. • Biofilm age, timing and exposure regime alter the effects of triclosan. • Regardless of exposure regime algae and cyanobacteria were the most affected. • Although recovery was evident no community regained the reference condition. • Initial recruitment may be significant in determining community recovery. - Abstract: Triclosan (TCS) is a ubiquitous antibacterial agent found in soaps, scrubs, and consumer products. There is limited information on hazardous effects of TCS in the environment. Here, rotating annular reactors were used to cultivate river biofilm communities exposed to 1.8 μg l{sup −1} TCS with the timing and duration of exposure and recovery during development varied. Two major treatment regimens were employed: (i) biofilm development for 2, 4 or 6 weeks prior to TCS exposure and (ii) exposure of biofilms to TCS for 2, 4 or 6 weeks followed by recovery. Biofilms not exposed to TCS were used as a reference condition. Communities cultivated without and then exposed to TCS all exhibited reductions in algal biomass and significant (p < 0.05) reductions in cyanobacterial biomass. No significant effects were observed on bacterial biomass. CLSM imaging of biofilms at 8 weeks revealed unique endpoints in terms of community architecture. Community composition was altered by any exposure to TCS, as indicated by significant shifts in denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis fingerprints and exopolymer composition relative to the reference. Bacterial, algal and cyanobacterial components initially exposed to TCS were significantly different from those TCS-free at time zero. Pigment analyses suggested that significant changes in composition of algal and cyanobacterial populations occurred with TCS exposure. Bacterial thymidine incorporation rates were reduced by TCS exposure and carbon utilization spectra shifted in terms substrate metabolism

Resilience and recovery: The effect of triclosan exposure timing during development, on the structure and function of river biofilm communities

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lawrence, J.R.; Topp, E.; Waiser, M.J.; Tumber, V.; Roy, J.; Swerhone, G.D.W.; Leavitt, P.; Paule, A.; Korber, D.R.

2015-01-01

Highlights: • Triclosan negatively affected structure and metabolism of biofilms under all exposure conditions. • Biofilm age, timing and exposure regime alter the effects of triclosan. • Regardless of exposure regime algae and cyanobacteria were the most affected. • Although recovery was evident no community regained the reference condition. • Initial recruitment may be significant in determining community recovery. - Abstract: Triclosan (TCS) is a ubiquitous antibacterial agent found in soaps, scrubs, and consumer products. There is limited information on hazardous effects of TCS in the environment. Here, rotating annular reactors were used to cultivate river biofilm communities exposed to 1.8 μg l −1 TCS with the timing and duration of exposure and recovery during development varied. Two major treatment regimens were employed: (i) biofilm development for 2, 4 or 6 weeks prior to TCS exposure and (ii) exposure of biofilms to TCS for 2, 4 or 6 weeks followed by recovery. Biofilms not exposed to TCS were used as a reference condition. Communities cultivated without and then exposed to TCS all exhibited reductions in algal biomass and significant (p < 0.05) reductions in cyanobacterial biomass. No significant effects were observed on bacterial biomass. CLSM imaging of biofilms at 8 weeks revealed unique endpoints in terms of community architecture. Community composition was altered by any exposure to TCS, as indicated by significant shifts in denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis fingerprints and exopolymer composition relative to the reference. Bacterial, algal and cyanobacterial components initially exposed to TCS were significantly different from those TCS-free at time zero. Pigment analyses suggested that significant changes in composition of algal and cyanobacterial populations occurred with TCS exposure. Bacterial thymidine incorporation rates were reduced by TCS exposure and carbon utilization spectra shifted in terms substrate metabolism

Flagellar motility is critical for Listeria monocytogenes biofilm formation.

Science.gov (United States)

Lemon, Katherine P; Higgins, Darren E; Kolter, Roberto

2007-06-01

The food-borne pathogen Listeria monocytogenes attaches to environmental surfaces and forms biofilms that can be a source of food contamination, yet little is known about the molecular mechanisms of its biofilm development. We observed that nonmotile mutants were defective in biofilm formation. To investigate how flagella might function during biofilm formation, we compared the wild type with flagellum-minus and paralyzed-flagellum mutants. Both nonmotile mutants were defective in biofilm development, presumably at an early stage, as they were also defective in attachment to glass during the first few hours of surface exposure. This attachment defect could be significantly overcome by providing exogenous movement toward the surface via centrifugation. However, this centrifugation did not restore mature biofilm formation. Our results indicate that it is flagellum-mediated motility that is critical for both initial surface attachment and subsequent biofilm formation. Also, any role for L. monocytogenes flagella as adhesins on abiotic surfaces appears to be either minimal or motility dependent under the conditions we examined.

Mycobacterium fortuitum and Mycobacterium chelonae biofilm formation under high and low nutrient conditions.

Science.gov (United States)

Hall-Stoodley, L; Keevil, C W; Lappin-Scott, H M

1998-12-01

The rapidly growing mycobacteria (RGM) are broadly disbursed in the environment. They have been recovered from freshwater, seawater, wastewater and even potable water samples and are increasingly associated with non-tuberculous mycobacterial disease. There is scant evidence that non-tuberculous mycobacteria (NTM) and RGM form biofilms. Therefore, an experimental system was designed to assess the ability of RGM to form biofilms under controlled laboratory conditions. A flat plate reactor flow cell was attached to either a high or low nutrient reservoir and monitored by image analysis over time. Two surfaces were chosen for assessment of biofilm growth: silastic which is commonly used in medical settings and high density polyethylene (HDPE) which is prevalent in water distribution systems. The results show that Mycobacterium fortuitum and M. chelonae formed biofilms under both high and low nutrient conditions on both surfaces studied. These results suggest that RGM may form biofilms under a variety of conditions in industrial and medical environments. 1998 Society of Applied Microbiology.

Initial transport and retention behaviors of ZnO nanoparticles in quartz sand porous media coated with Escherichia coli biofilm

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Jiang, Xujia; Wang, Xueting; Tong, Meiping; Kim, Hyunjung

2013-01-01

The significance of biofilm on the transport and deposition behaviors of ZnO nanoparticles were examined under a series of environmentally relevant ionic strength at two fluid velocities of 4 m-d −1 and 8 m-d −1 . Biofilm enhanced nanoparticles retention in porous media under all examined conditions. The greater deposition was also observed in extracellular polymeric substances (EPS) coated surfaces by employment of quartz microbalance with dissipation (QCM-D) system. Derjaguin–Landau–Verwey–Overbeek (DLVO) failed to interpret more ZnO nanoparticles deposition on biofilm (EPS) coated silica surfaces. Chemical interaction and physical morphology of biofilm contributed to this greater deposition (retention). Biofilm affected the spacial distribution of retained ZnO nanoparticles as well. Relatively steeper slope of retained profiles were observed in the presence of biofilm, corresponding to the greater deviation from colloid filtration theory (CFT). Pore space constriction via biofilm induced more nanoparticle trapped in the column inlet, leading to greater deviations (σln k f ) from the CFT. Highlights: ► Biofilm reduced the mobility of ZnO nanoparticles in column. ► DLVO and non-DLVO interactions contributed the more nanoparticles deposition. ► Biofilm also affected the spacial distribution of ZnO nanoparticles in column. ► Greater deviation from classic filtration theory was observed with biofilm. ► Physical structure of biofilm induced greater deviation from log-linear prediction. -- Biofilm enhanced ZnO nanoparticle deposition and altered spacial distribution in porous media

Catalytic biofilms on structured packing for the production of glycolic acid.

Science.gov (United States)

Li, Xuan Zhong; Hauer, Bernhard; Rosche, Bettina

2013-02-01

While structured packing modules are known to be efficient for surface wetting and gas-liquid exchange in abiotic surface catalysis, this model study explores structured packing as a growth surface for catalytic biofilms. Microbial biofilms have been proposed as self-immobilized and self-regenerating catalysts for the production of chemicals. A concern is that the complex and dynamic nature of biofilms may cause fluctuations in their catalytic performance over time or may affect process reproducibility. An aerated continuous trickle-bed biofilm reactor system was designed with a 3 L structured packing, liquid recycling and pH control. Pseudomonas diminuta established a biofilm on the stainless steel structured packing with a specific surface area of 500 m2 m-3 and catalyzed the oxidation of ethylene glycol to glycolic acid for over two months of continuous operation. A steady-state productivity of up to 1.6 gl-1h-1 was achieved at a dilution rate of 0.33 h-1. Process reproducibility between three independent runs was excellent, despite process interruptions and activity variations in cultures grown from biofilm effluent cells. The results demonstrate the robustness of a catalytic biofilm on structured packing, despite its dynamic nature. Implementation is recommended for whole-cell processes that require efficient gas-liquid exchange, catalyst retention for continuous operation, or improved catalyst stability.

Biodegradation Rates of Aromatic Contaminants in Biofilm Reactors

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Arcangeli, Jean-Pierre; Arvin, Erik

1995-01-01

This study has shown that microorganisms can adapt to degrade mixtures of aromatic pollutants at relatively high rates in the μg/l concentration range. The biodegradation rates of the following compounds were investigated in biofilm systems: aromatic hydrocarbons, phenol, methylphenols......-reducing conditions, toluene was easily biodegraded. The xylenes and ethylbenzene were degraded cometabolically if toluene was used as a primary carbon source; their removal was influenced by competitive inhibition with toluene. These interaction phenomena are discussed in this paper and a kinetic model taking...

Biofilms

OpenAIRE

López, Daniel; Vlamakis, Hera; Kolter, Roberto

2010-01-01

The ability to form biofilms is a universal attribute of bacteria. Biofilms are multicellular communities held together by a self-produced extracellular matrix. The mechanisms that different bacteria employ to form biofilms vary, frequently depending on environmental conditions and specific strain attributes. In this review, we emphasize four well-studied model systems to give an overview of how several organisms form biofilms: Escherichia coli, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Bacillus subtilis, and ...

Density of founder cells affects spatial pattern formation and cooperation in Bacillus subtilis biofilms.

Science.gov (United States)

van Gestel, Jordi; Weissing, Franz J; Kuipers, Oscar P; Kovács, Akos T

2014-10-01

In nature, most bacteria live in surface-attached sedentary communities known as biofilms. Biofilms are often studied with respect to bacterial interactions. Many cells inhabiting biofilms are assumed to express 'cooperative traits', like the secretion of extracellular polysaccharides (EPS). These traits can enhance biofilm-related properties, such as stress resilience or colony expansion, while being costly to the cells that express them. In well-mixed populations cooperation is difficult to achieve, because non-cooperative individuals can reap the benefits of cooperation without having to pay the costs. The physical process of biofilm growth can, however, result in the spatial segregation of cooperative from non-cooperative individuals. This segregation can prevent non-cooperative cells from exploiting cooperative neighbors. Here we examine the interaction between spatial pattern formation and cooperation in Bacillus subtilis biofilms. We show, experimentally and by mathematical modeling, that the density of cells at the onset of biofilm growth affects pattern formation during biofilm growth. At low initial cell densities, co-cultured strains strongly segregate in space, whereas spatial segregation does not occur at high initial cell densities. As a consequence, EPS-producing cells have a competitive advantage over non-cooperative mutants when biofilms are initiated at a low density of founder cells, whereas EPS-deficient cells have an advantage at high cell densities. These results underline the importance of spatial pattern formation for competition among bacterial strains and the evolution of microbial cooperation.

IAEA Technical Meeting on Status of IAEA Fast Reactor Knowledge Preservation Initiative. Working Material

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

2013-01-01

In response to needs expressed by Member States and within a broader IAEA-wide effort in nuclear knowledge preservation, the IAEA has been carrying out a dedicated initiative on Fast Reactor Data Knowledge Preservation (FRKP). The main objectives of the FRKP initiative are to: • Halt the on-going loss of information related to Fast Reactors (FR); • Collect, retrieve, preserve and make accessible already existing data and information on FR. These objectives require the implementation of activities supporting digital document archival, exchange, search and retrieval and facilitating, by developing and using suitable standards and IT tools, the knowledge preservation over the next decades. To this purpose the IAEA has developed the Fast Reactor Knowledge Organization System (FRKOS), a web-based application employing IAEA methodology and approach for categorization of FR knowledge domain, which allows creating a comprehensive and well-structured international inventory of fast reactor data and information provided by different Member States. The resulting Web Portal is established and maintained by the IAEA. The IAEA knowledge preservation initiatives and tools in the field of fast neutron systems - which were presented and very well received during the recent IAEA Fast Reactor and Related Fuel Cycles Conference (FR13) - are supposed to be of interest for national nuclear authorities, regulators, scientific and research organizations, commercial companies and all other stakeholders involved in fast reactor activities at national or international level. The objectives of the technical meeting were to: • Exchange information between the member states/international organizations on national and international initiatives addressing knowledge preservation and data retrieval/collection in the field of fast neutron systems; • Present and discuss the member states’/international organizations’ policies and conditions for releasing to the IAEA both publicly

Anti-biofilm efficacy of low temperature processed AgCl–TiO{sub 2} nanocomposite coating

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Naik, Kshipra, E-mail: kshipra_naik21@yahoo.co.in; Kowshik, Meenal, E-mail: meenal@goa.bits-pilani.ac.in

2014-01-01

Biofilms are a major concern in the medical settings and food industries due to their high tolerance to antibiotics, biocides and mechanical stress. Currently, the development of novel methods to control biofilm formation is being actively pursued. In the present study, sol–gel coatings of AgCl–TiO{sub 2} nanoparticles are presented as potential anti-biofilm agents, wherein TiO{sub 2} acts as a good supporting matrix to prevent aggregation of silver and facilitates its controlled release. Low-temperature processed AgCl–TiO{sub 2} nanocomposite coatings inhibit biofilm formation by Escherichia coli, Staphylococcus epidermidis and Pseudomonas aeruginosa. In vitro biofilm assay experiments demonstrated that AgCl–TiO{sub 2} nanocomposite coated surfaces, inhibited the development of biofilms over a period of 10 days as confirmed by scanning electron microscopy. The silver release kinetics exhibited an initial high release, followed by a slow and sustained release. The anti-biofilm efficacy of the coatings could be attributed to the release of silver, which prevents the initial bacterial adhesion required for biofilm formation. - Highlights: • Potential of AgCl–TiO{sub 2} nanocomposite coating to inhibit biofilm formation is exhibited. • Initial rapid release followed by later slow and sustained release of silver obtained. • TiO{sub 2} being porous and inorganic in nature acts as a good supporting matrix.

Biofilm Risks

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Wirtanen, Gun Linnea; Salo, Satu

2016-01-01

This chapter on biofilm risks deals with biofilm formation of pathogenic microbes, sampling and detection methods, biofilm removal, and prevention of biofilm formation. Several common pathogens produce sticky and/or slimy structures in which the cells are embedded, that is, biofilms, on various...... surfaces in food processing. Biofilms of common foodborne pathogens are reviewed. The issue of persistent and nonpersistent microbial contamination in food processing is also discussed. It has been shown that biofilms can be difficult to remove and can thus cause severe disinfection and cleaning problems...... in food factories. In the prevention of biofilm formation microbial control in process lines should both limit the number of microbes on surfaces and reduce microbial activity in the process. Thus the hygienic design of process equipment and process lines is important in improving the process hygiene...

Proteomics of drug resistance in Candida glabrata biofilms.

Science.gov (United States)

Seneviratne, C Jayampath; Wang, Yu; Jin, Lijian; Abiko, Y; Samaranayake, Lakshman P

2010-04-01

Candida glabrata is a fungal pathogen that causes a variety of mucosal and systemic infections among compromised patient populations with higher mortality rates. Previous studies have shown that biofilm mode of the growth of the fungus is highly resistant to antifungal agents compared with the free-floating or planktonic mode of growth. Therefore, in the present study, we used 2-D DIGE to evaluate the differential proteomic profiles of C. glabrata under planktonic and biofilm modes of growth. Candida glabrata biofilms were developed on polystyrene surfaces and age-matched planktonic cultures were obtained in parallel. Initially, biofilm architecture, viability, and antifungal susceptibility were evaluated. Differentially expressed proteins more than 1.5-fold in DIGE analysis were subjected to MS/MS. The transcriptomic regulation of these biomarkers was evaluated by quantitative real-time PCR. Candida glabrata biofilms were highly resistant to the antifungals and biocides compared with the planktonic mode of growth. Candida glabrata biofilm proteome when compared with its planktonic proteome showed upregulation of stress response proteins, while glycolysis enzymes were downregulated. Similar trend could be observed at transcriptomic level. In conclusion, C. glabrata biofilms possess higher amount of stress response proteins, which may potentially contribute to the higher antifungal resistance seen in C. glabrata biofilms.

Unraveling microbial biofilms of importance for food microbiology.

Science.gov (United States)

Winkelströter, Lizziane Kretli; Teixeira, Fernanda Barbosa dos Reis; Silva, Eliane Pereira; Alves, Virgínia Farias; De Martinis, Elaine Cristina Pereira

2014-07-01

The presence of biofilms is a relevant risk factors in the food industry due to the potential contamination of food products with pathogenic and spoilage microorganisms. The majority of bacteria are able to adhere and to form biofilms, where they can persist and survive for days to weeks or even longer, depending on the microorganism and the environmental conditions. The biological cycle of biofilms includes several developmental phases such as: initial attachment, maturation, maintenance, and dispersal. Bacteria in biofilms are generally well protected against environmental stress, consequently, extremely difficult to eradicate and detect in food industry. In the present manuscript, some techniques and compounds used to control and to prevent the biofilm formation are presented and discussed. Moreover, a number of novel techniques have been recently employed to detect and evaluate bacteria attached to surfaces, including real-time polymerase chain reaction (PCR), DNA microarray and confocal laser scanning microscopy. Better knowledge on the architecture, physiology and molecular signaling in biofilms can contribute for preventing and controlling food-related spoilage and pathogenic bacteria. The present study highlights basic and applied concepts important for understanding the role of biofilms in bacterial survival, persistence and dissemination in food processing environments.

Possible complication regarding phosphorus removal with a continuous flow biofilm system: Diffusion limitation

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Falkentoft, C.M.; Arnz, P.; Henze, Mogens

2001-01-01

Diffusion limitation of phosphate possibly constitutes a serious problem regarding the use of a biofilm reactor for enhanced biological phosphorus removal. A lab-scale reactor for simultaneous removal of phosphorus and nitrate was operated in a continuous alternating mode of operation. For a steady.......4 ± 0.4% (equal to 24 ± 4 mg P/g TS). A simplified computer model indicated the reason to be phosphate diffusion limitation and the model revealed a delicate balance between the obtainable phosphorus contents of the biomass and operating parameters, such as backwash interval, biofilm thickness after...... backwash, and phase lengths. The aspect of diffusion is considered of crucial importance when evaluating the performance of a biofilter for phosphate removal. © 2001 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. Biotechnol Bioeng 76: 77–85, 2001....

Enhancing the formation and shear resistance of nitrifying biofilms on membranes by surface modification

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Lackner, Susanne; Holmberg, Maria; Terada, Akihiko

2009-01-01

Polypropylene (PP) membranes and polyethylene (PE) surfaces were modified to enhance formation and shear resistance of nitrifying biofilms for wastewater treatment applications. A combination of plasma polymerization and wet chemistry was employed to ultimately introduce poly(ethyleneglycol) (PEG......) chains with two different functional groups (-PEG-NH2 and -PEG-CH3). Biofilm growth experiments using a mixed nitrifying bacterial culture revealed that the specific combination of PEG chains with amino groups resulted in most biofilm formation on both PP and PE samples. Detachment experiments showed...... structure might be possible explanations of the superiority of the -PEG-NH2 modification. The success of the-PEG-NH2 modification was independent of the original surface and might, therefore, be used in wastewater treatment bioreactors to improve reactor performance by making biofilm formation more stable...

Development of a MELCOR self-initialization algorithm for boiling water reactors

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Chien, C.S.; Wang, S.J.; Cheng, S.K.

1996-01-01

The MELCOR code, developed by Sandia National Laboratories, is suitable for calculating source terms and simulating severe accident phenomena of nuclear power plants. Prior to simulating a severe accident transient with MELCOR, the initial steady-state conditions must be generated in advance. The current MELCOR users' manuals do not provide a self-initialization procedure; this is the reason users have to adjust the initial conditions by themselves through a trial-and-error approach. A MELCOR self-initialization algorithm for boiling water reactor plants has been developed, which eliminates the tedious trial-and-error procedures and improves the simulation accuracy. This algorithm adjusts the important plant variable such as the dome pressure, downcomer level, and core flow rate to the desired conditions automatically. It is implemented through input with control functions provided in MELCOR. The reactor power and feedwater temperature are fed as input data. The initialization work of full-power conditions of the Kuosheng nuclear power station is cited as an example. These initial conditions are generated successfully with the developed algorithm. The generated initial conditions can be stored in a restart file and used for transient analysis. The methodology in this study improves the accuracy and consistency of transient calculations. Meanwhile, the algorithm provides all MELCOR users an easy and correct method for establishing the initial conditions

Initiating events and accidental sequences taken into account in the CAREM reactor design

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kay, J.M.; Felizia, E.R.; Navarro, N.R.; Caruso, G.J.

1990-01-01

The advance made in the nuclear security evaluation of the CAREM reactor is presented. It was carried out using the Security Probabilistic Analysis (SPA). The latter takes into account the different phases of identification and solution of initiating events and the qualitative development of event trees. The method of identification of initiating events is the Master Logical Diagram (MLD), whose deductive basis makes it appropriate for a new design like the one described. The qualitative development of the event trees associated to the identified initiating events, allows identification of those accidental sequences which are to have the security systems in the reactor. (Author) [es

Study on treatment of coking wastewater by biofilm reactors combined with zero-valent iron process

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lai Peng; Zhao Huazhang; Zeng Ming; Ni Jinren

2009-01-01

Experiments were conducted to investigate the behavior of the integrated system with biofilm reactors and zero-valent iron (ZVI) process for coking wastewater treatment. Particular attention was paid to the performance of the integrated system for removal of organic and inorganic nitrogen compounds. Maximal removal efficiencies of chemical oxygen demand (COD), ammonia nitrogen (NH 3 -N) and total inorganic nitrogen (TIN) were up to 96.1, 99.2 and 92.3%, respectively. Moreover, it was found that some phenolic compounds were effectively removed. The refractory organic compounds were primarily removed in ZVI process of the integrated system. These compounds, with molecular weights either ranged 10,000-30,000 Da or 0-2000 Da, were mainly the humic acid (HA) and hydrophilic (HyI) compounds. Oxidation-reduction and coagulation were the main removal mechanisms in ZVI process, which could enhance the biodegradability of the system effluent. Furthermore, the integrated system showed a rapid recovery performance against the sudden loading shock and remained high efficiencies for pollutants removal. Overall, the integrated system was proved feasible for coking wastewater treatment in practical applications

Startup pattern and performance enhancement of pilot-scale biofilm process for raw water pretreatment.

Science.gov (United States)

Yang, Guang-Feng; Feng, Li-Juan; Yang, Qi; Zhu, Liang; Xu, Jian; Xu, Xiang-Yang

2014-11-01

The quality of raw water is getting worse in developing countries because of the inadequate treatment of municipal sewage, industrial wastewater and agricultural runoff. Aiming at the biofilm enrichment and pollutant removal, two pilot-scale biofilm reactors were built with different biological carriers. Results showed that compared with the blank carrier, the biofilm was easily enriched on the biofilm precoated carrier and less nitrite accumulation occurred. The removal efficiencies of NH4(+)-N, DOC and UV254 increased under the aeration condition, and a optimum DO level for the adequate nitrification was 1.0-2.6mgL(-1) with the suitable temperature range of 21-22°C. Study on the trihalomethane prediction model indicated that the presentence of algae increased the risk of disinfection by-products production, which could be effectively controlled via manual algae removing and light shading. In this study, the performance of biofilm pretreatment process could be enhanced under the optimized condition of DO level and biofilm carrier. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Novel model for multispecies biofilms that uses rigid gas-permeable lenses.

Science.gov (United States)

Peyyala, Rebecca; Kirakodu, Sreenatha S; Ebersole, Jeffrey L; Novak, Karen F

2011-05-01

Oral biofilms comprise complex multispecies consortia aided by specific inter- and intraspecies interactions occurring among commensals and pathogenic bacterial species. Oral biofilms are primary initiating factors of periodontal disease, although complex multifactorial biological influences, including host cell responses, contribute to the individual outcome of the disease. To provide a system to study initial stages of interaction between oral biofilms and the host cells that contribute to the disease process, we developed a novel in vitro model system to grow biofilms on rigid gas-permeable contact lenses (RGPLs), which enable oxygen to permeate through the lens material. Bacterial species belonging to early- and late-colonizing groups were successfully established as single- or three-species biofilms, with each group comprising Streptococcus gordonii, Streptococcus oralis, and Streptococcus sanguinis; S. gordonii, Actinomyces naeslundii, and Fusobacterium nucleatum; or S. gordonii, F. nucleatum, and Porphyromonas gingivalis. Quantification of biofilm numbers by quantitative PCR (qPCR) revealed substantial differences in the magnitude of bacterial numbers in single-species and multispecies biofilms. We evaluated cell-permeable conventional nucleic acid stains acridine orange, hexidium iodide, and Hoechst 33258 and novel SYTO red, blue, and green fluorochromes for their effect on bacterial viability and fluorescence yield to allow visualization of the aggregates of individual bacterial species by confocal laser scanning microscopy (CLSM). Substantial differences in the quantity and distribution of the species in the multispecies biofilms were identified. The specific features of these biofilms may help us better understand the role of various bacteria in local challenge of oral tissues.

Chicken Juice Enhances Surface Attachment and Biofilm Formation of Campylobacter jejuni

Science.gov (United States)

Brown, Helen L.; Reuter, Mark; Salt, Louise J.; Cross, Kathryn L.; Betts, Roy P.

2014-01-01

The bacterial pathogen Campylobacter jejuni is primarily transmitted via the consumption of contaminated foodstuffs, especially poultry meat. In food processing environments, C. jejuni is required to survive a multitude of stresses and requires the use of specific survival mechanisms, such as biofilms. An initial step in biofilm formation is bacterial attachment to a surface. Here, we investigated the effects of a chicken meat exudate (chicken juice) on C. jejuni surface attachment and biofilm formation. Supplementation of brucella broth with ≥5% chicken juice resulted in increased biofilm formation on glass, polystyrene, and stainless steel surfaces with four C. jejuni isolates and one C. coli isolate in both microaerobic and aerobic conditions. When incubated with chicken juice, C. jejuni was both able to grow and form biofilms in static cultures in aerobic conditions. Electron microscopy showed that C. jejuni cells were associated with chicken juice particulates attached to the abiotic surface rather than the surface itself. This suggests that chicken juice contributes to C. jejuni biofilm formation by covering and conditioning the abiotic surface and is a source of nutrients. Chicken juice was able to complement the reduction in biofilm formation of an aflagellated mutant of C. jejuni, indicating that chicken juice may support food chain transmission of isolates with lowered motility. We provide here a useful model for studying the interaction of C. jejuni biofilms in food chain-relevant conditions and also show a possible mechanism for C. jejuni cell attachment and biofilm initiation on abiotic surfaces within the food chain. PMID:25192991

Pellet-Cladding Mechanical Interaction Failure Threshold for Reactivity Initiated Accidents for Pressurized Water Reactors and Boiling Water Reactors

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Beyer, Carl E. [Pacific Northwest National Lab. (PNNL), Richland, WA (United States); Geelhood, Kenneth J. [Pacific Northwest National Lab. (PNNL), Richland, WA (United States)

2013-06-01

Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL) has been requested by the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission to evaluate the reactivity initiated accident (RIA) tests that have recently been performed in the Nuclear Safety Research Reactor (NSRR) and CABRI (French research reactor) on uranium dioxide (UO₂) and mixed uranium and plutonium dioxide (MOX) fuels, and to propose pellet-cladding mechanical interaction (PCMI) failure thresholds for RIA events. This report discusses how PNNL developed PCMI failure thresholds for RIA based on least squares (LSQ) regression fits to the RIA test data from cold-worked stress relief annealed (CWSRA) and recrystallized annealed (RXA) cladding alloys under pressurized water reactor (PWR) hot zero power (HZP) conditions and boiling water reactor (BWR) cold zero power (CZP) conditions.

Microbial electrocatalysis with Geobacter sulfurreducens biofilm on stainless steel cathodes

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Dumas, Claire; Basseguy, Regine; Bergel, Alain

2008-01-01

Stainless steel and graphite electrodes were individually addressed and polarized at -0.60 V vs. Ag/AgCl in reactors filled with a growth medium that contained 25 mM fumarate as the electron acceptor and no electron donor, in order to force the microbial cells to use the electrode as electron source. When the reactor was inoculated with Geobacter sulfurreducens, the current increased and stabilized at average values around 0.75 A m -2 for graphite and 20.5 A m -2 for stainless steel. Cyclic voltammetry performed at the end of the experiment indicated that the reduction started at around -0.30 V vs. Ag/AgCl on stainless steel. Removing the biofilm formed on the electrode surface made the current totally disappear, confirming that the G.sulfurreducens biofilm was fully responsible for the electrocatalysis of fumarate reduction. Similar current densities were recorded when the electrodes were polarized after being kept in open circuit for several days. The reasons for the bacteria presence and survival on non-connected stainless steel coupons were discussed. Chronoamperometry experiments performed at different potential values suggested that the biofilm-driven catalysis was controlled by electrochemical kinetics. The high current density obtained, quite close to the redox potential of the fumarate/succinate couple, presents stainless steel as a remarkable material to support biocathodes

78 FR 63516 - Initial Test Program of Emergency Core Cooling Systems for New Boiling-Water Reactors

Science.gov (United States)

2013-10-24

... NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION [NRC-2012-0134] Initial Test Program of Emergency Core Cooling....79.1, ``Initial Test Program of Emergency Core Cooling Systems for New Boiling-Water Reactors.'' This... emergency core cooling systems (ECCSs) for boiling- water reactors (BWRs) whose licenses are issued after...

Unravelling the core microbiome of biofilms in cooling tower systems.

Science.gov (United States)

Di Gregorio, L; Tandoi, V; Congestri, R; Rossetti, S; Di Pippo, F

2017-11-01

In this study, next generation sequencing and catalyzed reporter deposition fluorescence in situ hybridization, combined with confocal microscopy, were used to provide insights into the biodiversity and structure of biofilms collected from four full-scale European cooling systems. Water samples were also analyzed to evaluate the impact of suspended microbes on biofilm formation. A common core microbiome, containing members of the families Sphingomonadaceae, Comamonadaceae and Hyphomicrobiaceae, was found in all four biofilms, despite the water of each coming from different sources (river and groundwater). This suggests that selection of the pioneer community was influenced by abiotic factors (temperature, pH) and tolerances to biocides. Members of the Sphingomonadaceae were assumed to play a key role in initial biofilm formation. Subsequent biofilm development was driven primarily by light availability, since biofilms were dominated by phototrophs in the two studied 'open' systems. Their interactions with other microbial populations then shaped the structure of the mature biofilm communities analyzed.

Treatment of petroleum refinery wastewater containing heavily polluting substances in an aerobic submerged fixed-bed reactor.

Science.gov (United States)

Vendramel, S; Bassin, J P; Dezotti, M; Sant'Anna, G L

2015-01-01

Petroleum refineries produce large amount of wastewaters, which often contain a wide range of different compounds. Some of these constituents may be recalcitrant and therefore difficult to be treated biologically. This study evaluated the capability of an aerobic submerged fixed-bed reactor (ASFBR) containing a corrugated PVC support material for biofilm attachment to treat a complex and high-strength organic wastewater coming from a petroleum refinery. The reactor operation was divided into five experimental runs which lasted more than 250 days. During the reactor operation, the applied volumetric organic load was varied within the range of 0.5-2.4 kgCOD.m(-3).d(-1). Despite the inherent fluctuations on the characteristics of the complex wastewater and the slight decrease in the reactor performance when the influent organic load was increased, the ASFBR showed good stability and allowed to reach chemical oxygen demand, dissolved organic carbon and total suspended solids removals up to 91%, 90% and 92%, respectively. Appreciable ammonium removal was obtained (around 90%). Some challenging aspects of reactor operation such as biofilm quantification and important biofilm constituents (e.g. polysaccharides (PS) and proteins (PT)) were also addressed in this work. Average PS/volatile attached solids (VAS) and PT/VAS ratios were around 6% and 50%, respectively. The support material promoted biofilm attachment without appreciable loss of solids and allowed long-term operation without clogging. Microscopic observations of the microbial community revealed great diversity of higher organisms, such as protozoa and rotifers, suggesting that toxic compounds found in the wastewater were possibly removed in the biofilm.

Nitrification of an industrial wastewater in a moving-bed biofilm reactor: effect of salt concentration.

Science.gov (United States)

Vendramel, Simone; Dezotti, Marcia; Sant'Anna, Geraldo L

2011-01-01

Nitrification of wastewaters from chemical industries can pose some challenges due to the presence of inhibitory compounds. Some wastewaters, besides their organic complexity present variable levels of salt concentration. In order to investigate the effect of salt (NaCl) content on the nitrification of a conventional biologically treated industrial wastewater, a bench scale moving-bed biofilm reactor was operated on a sequencing batch mode. The wastewater presenting a chloride content of 0.05 g l(-1) was supplemented with NaCl up to 12 g Cl(-) l(-1). The reactor operation cycle was: filling (5 min), aeration (12 or 24h), settling (5 min) and drawing (5 min). Each experimental run was conducted for 3 to 6 months to address problems related to the inherent wastewater variability and process stabilization. A PLC system assured automatic operation and control of the pertinent process variables. Data obtained from selected batch experiments were adjusted by a kinetic model, which considered ammonia, nitrite and nitrate variations. The average performance results indicated that nitrification efficiency was not influenced by chloride content in the range of 0.05 to 6 g Cl(-) l(-1) and remained around 90%. When the chloride content was 12 g Cl(-) l(-1), a significant drop in the nitrification efficiency was observed, even operating with a reaction period of 24 h. Also, a negative effect of the wastewater organic matter content on nitrification efficiency was observed, which was probably caused by growth of heterotrophs in detriment of autotrophs and nitrification inhibition by residual chemicals.

Lactobacillus plantarum lipoteichoic acid inhibits biofilm formation of Streptococcus mutans

Science.gov (United States)

Ahn, Ki Bum; Baik, Jung Eun; Park, Ok-Jin; Yun, Cheol-Heui

2018-01-01

Dental caries is a biofilm-dependent oral disease and Streptococcus mutans is the known primary etiologic agent of dental caries that initiates biofilm formation on tooth surfaces. Although some Lactobacillus strains inhibit biofilm formation of oral pathogenic bacteria, the molecular mechanisms by which lactobacilli inhibit bacterial biofilm formation are not clearly understood. In this study, we demonstrated that Lactobacillus plantarum lipoteichoic acid (Lp.LTA) inhibited the biofilm formation of S. mutans on polystyrene plates, hydroxyapatite discs, and dentin slices without affecting the bacterial growth. Lp.LTA interferes with sucrose decomposition of S. mutans required for the production of exopolysaccharide, which is a main component of biofilm. Lp.LTA also attenuated the biding of fluorescein isothiocyanate-conjugated dextran to S. mutans, which is known to have a high affinity to exopolysaccharide on S. mutans. Dealanylated Lp.LTA did not inhibit biofilm formation of S. mutans implying that D-alanine moieties in the Lp.LTA structure were crucial for inhibition. Collectively, these results suggest that Lp.LTA attenuates S. mutans biofilm formation and could be used to develop effective anticaries agents. PMID:29420616

New initiatives in the U.S. Reactor Inspection Program

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Volgenau, Ernst.

1977-01-01

Recently, the United States Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) has initiated a revised inspection approach that will involve placing inspectors full time onsite at all reactor sites. These resident inspectors will be supplemented by a performance appraisal inspection program that will incorporate thorough critical reviews of licensee facilities and an increased program of specific technical measurements to independently verify the accuracy and completeness of licensee work. To complement the inspection initiatives, the NRC is examining ways to expand its enforcement sanctions and to motivate safe licensee performance. (Auth.) [fr

Staphylococcus aureus biofilm removal by targeting biofilm-associated extracellular proteins

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Sudhir K Shukla

2017-01-01

Methods: Biofilm assay was done in 96-well microtitre plate to evaluate the effect of proteinase K on biofilms of bovine mastitis S. Aureus isolates. Extracellular polymeric substances were extracted and evaluated for their composition (protein, polysaccharides and extracellular DNA, before and after the proteinase K treatment. Results: Biofilm assay showed that 2 μg/ml proteinase K significantly inhibited biofilm development in bap-positive S. aureus V329 as well as other S. aureus isolates (SA7, SA10, SA33, SA352, but not in bap-mutant M556 and SA392 (a weak biofilm-producing strain. Proteinase K treatment on S. aureus planktonic cells showed that there was no inhibition of planktonic growth up to 32 μg/ml of proteinase K. Proteinase K treatment on 24 h old preformed biofilms showed an enhanced dispersion of bap-positive V329 and SA7, SA10, SA33 and SA352 biofilms; however, proteinase K did not affect the bap-mutant S. aureus M556 and SA392 biofilms. Biofilm compositions study before and after proteinase K treatment indicated that Bap might also be involved in eDNA retention in the biofilm matrix that aids in biofilm stability. When proteinase K was used in combination with antibiotics, a synergistic effect in antibiotic efficacy was observed against all biofilm-forming S. aureus isolates. Interpretation & conclusions: Proteinase K inhibited biofilms growth in S. aureus bovine mastitis isolates but did not affect their planktonic growth. An enhanced dispersion of preformed S. aureus biofilms was observed on proteinase K treatment. Proteinase K treatment with antibiotics showed a synergistic effect against S. aureus biofilms. The study suggests that dispersing S. aureus by protease can be of use while devising strategies againstS. aureus biofilms.

Fast-mixed spectrum reactor interim report initial feasibility study

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Fischer, G.J.; Cerbone, R.J.

1979-01-01

The report summarizes the results of an initial four-month feasibility study of the Fast-Mixed Spectrum Reactor (FMSR). Reactor physics, fuel cycle, and thermal-hydraulic analyses were performed on a reference design. These results when coupled to a fuel and materials evaluation performed in cooperation with the Argonne National Laboratory indicate that the FMSR is feasible provided the fuels, cladding, and subassembly ducts can survive a peak fuel burnup of 15 to 20 atom percent heavy metal and peak fluences of 8 x 10 23 (nvt > 0.1 MeV). The results of this short study have also provided a basis for exploring alternative designs requiring significantly lower peak burnup and fluences for their operation

Performance Evaluation of Moving Bed Bio Film Reactor in Saline Wastewater Treatment

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M Ahmadi

2013-06-01

Full Text Available Background and purpose:Moving Bed Biofilm Reactor is an aerobic attached growth with better biofilm thickness control, lack of plugging and lower head loss. Consequently, this system is greatly used by different wastewater treatment plants. High TDS wastewater produced petrochemical, leather tanning, sea food processing, cannery, pickling and dairy industries. The aim of this study was to evaluate the performance of MBBR in saline wastewater treatment. Materials and methods: In this study, 50 percent of a cylindrical reactor with 9.5 liter occupied media with 650 m2.m-3. In the first step, hydraulic regime was evaluated and startup reactor was done by sanitary sludge. Bio film was generated with glucose as the sole carbon source in synthetic wastewater. MBBR performance evaluation was performed in 6:30 and 8:45 with saline wastewater after bio film produced on media. Results: After 83 days of passing MBBR operation with saline wastewater containing 3000-12000 mg.L-1 TDS, organic loading rate of 2.2-3.5 kg/m3.d COD removal efficiency reached 80-92%. Conclusion: Moving bed biofilm reactor is effective in organic load elimination from saline wastewater.

Underestimated effects of sediments on enhanced startup performance of biofilm systems for polluted source water pretreatment.

Science.gov (United States)

Lv, Zheng-Hui; Wang, Jing; Yang, Guang-Feng; Feng, Li-Juan; Mu, Jun; Zhu, Liang; Xu, Xiang-Yang

2018-02-01

In order to evaluate the enhancement mechanisms of enhanced startup performance in biofilm systems for polluted source water pretreatment, three lab-scale reactors with elastic stereo media (ESM) were operated under different enhanced sediment and hydraulic agitation conditions. It is interesting to found the previously underestimated or overlooked effects of sediment on the enhancement of pollutants removal performance and enrichment of functional bacteria in biofilm systems. The maximum NH 4 + -N removal rate of 0.35 mg L -1 h -1 in sediment enhanced condition was 2.19 times of that in control reactor. Sediment contributed to 42.0-56.5% of NH 4 + -N removal and 15.4-41.2% of total nitrogen removal in different reactors under different operation conditions. The enhanced hydraulic agitation with sediment further improved the operation performance and accumulation of functional bacteria. Generally, Proteobacteria (48.9-52.1%), Bacteroidetes (18.9-20.8%) and Actinobacteria (15.7-18.5%) were dominant in both sediment and ESM bioiflm at  phylum level. The potentially functional bacteria found in sediment and ESM biofilm samples with some functional bacteria mainly presented in sediment samples only (e.g., Genera Bacillus and Lactococcus of Firmicutes phylum) may commonly contribute to the removal of nitrogen and organics.

Motility of Pseudomonas aeruginosa contributes to SOS-inducible biofilm formation.

Science.gov (United States)

Chellappa, Shakinah T; Maredia, Reshma; Phipps, Kara; Haskins, William E; Weitao, Tao

2013-12-01

DNA-damaging antibiotics such as ciprofloxacin induce biofilm formation and the SOS response through autocleavage of SOS-repressor LexA in Pseudomonas aeruginosa. However, the biofilm-SOS connection remains poorly understood. It was investigated with 96-well and lipid biofilm assays. The effects of ciprofloxacin were examined on biofilm stimulation of the SOS mutant and wild-type strains. The stimulation observed in the wild-type in which SOS was induced was reduced in the mutant in which LexA was made non-cleavable (LexAN) and thus SOS non-inducible. Therefore, the stimulation appeared to involve SOS. The possible mechanisms of inducible biofilm formation were explored by subproteomic analysis of outer membrane fractions extracted from biofilms. The data predicted an inhibitory role of LexA in flagellum function. This premise was tested first by functional and morphological analyses of flagellum-based motility. The flagellum swimming motility decreased in the LexAN strain treated with ciprofloxacin. Second, the motility-biofilm assay was performed, which tested cell migration and biofilm formation. The results showed that wild-type biofilm increased significantly over the LexAN. These results suggest that LexA repression of motility, which is the initial event in biofilm development, contributes to repression of SOS-inducible biofilm formation. Copyright © 2013 Institut Pasteur. Published by Elsevier Masson SAS. All rights reserved.

Effect of synthetic vernix biofilms on barrier recovery of damaged mouse skin.

Science.gov (United States)

Oudshoorn, Marion H M; Rissmann, Robert; van der Coelen, Dennis; Hennink, Wim E; Ponec, Maria; Bouwstra, Joke A

2009-08-01

The aim of this work was to investigate whether topical application of synthetic biofilms supports and accelerates the recovery of the murine skin barrier, disrupted by sequential tape stripping. Therefore, various biofilms were applied topically on disrupted mouse skin to determine which formulation could improve barrier function, as was observed previously for the natural biofilm vernix caseosa (VC). The biofilms [i.e. particles (synthetic corneocytes) embedded in a synthetic lipid matrix] mimic closely the physicochemical properties and structure of VC. Various formulations were prepared using different particle:lipid ratios, particles with different initial water content and uncoated or lipid-coated particles. It was observed that application of all tested formulations improved the skin barrier recovery rate and reduced crust formation and epidermal hyperproliferation. However, only one of the biofilms [i.e. B1; composed of uncoated particles with 50% (w/w) initial water content and particle:lipid ratio of 2:1] mimicked the effects of native VC most closely. This indicates the importance of the presence of individual components, i.e. barrier lipids and water, as well as the ratio of these components. Consequently, these observations suggest the potential use of this biofilm treatment clinically.

System modeling and reactor design studies of the Advanced Thermionic Initiative space nuclear reactor

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lee, H.H.; Abdul-Hamid, S.; Klein, A.C.

1996-01-01

In-core thermionic space reactor design concepts that operate at a nominal power output range of 20 to 50 kW(electric) are described. Details of the neutronic, thermionic, thermal hydraulics, and shielding performance are presented. Because of the strong absorption of thermal neutrons by natural tungsten and the large amount of natural tungsten within the reactor core, two designs are considered. An overall system design code has been developed at Oregon State University to model advanced in-core thermionic energy conversion-based nuclear reactor systems for space applications. The results show that the driverless single-cell Advanced Thermionic Initiative (ATI) configuration, which does not have driver fuel rods, proved to be more efficient than the driven core, which has driver rods. The results also show that the inclusion of the true axial and radial power distribution decrease the overall conversion efficiency. The flattening of the radial power distribution by three different methods would lead to a higher efficiency. The results show that only one TFE works at the optimum emitter temperature; all other TFEs are off the optimum performance and result in a 40% decrease of the efficiency of the overall system. The true axial profile is significantly different as there is a considerable amount of neutron leakage out of the top and bottom of the reactor. The analysis reveals that the axial power profile actually has a chopped cosine shape. For this axial profile, the reactor core overall efficiency for the driverless ATI reactor version is found to be 5.84% with a total electrical power of 21.92 kW(electric). By considering the true axial power profile instead of the uniform power profile, each TFE loses ∼80 W(electric)

Novel Model for Multispecies Biofilms That Uses Rigid Gas-Permeable Lenses ▿

Science.gov (United States)

Peyyala, Rebecca; Kirakodu, Sreenatha S.; Ebersole, Jeffrey L.; Novak, Karen F.

2011-01-01

Oral biofilms comprise complex multispecies consortia aided by specific inter- and intraspecies interactions occurring among commensals and pathogenic bacterial species. Oral biofilms are primary initiating factors of periodontal disease, although complex multifactorial biological influences, including host cell responses, contribute to the individual outcome of the disease. To provide a system to study initial stages of interaction between oral biofilms and the host cells that contribute to the disease process, we developed a novel in vitro model system to grow biofilms on rigid gas-permeable contact lenses (RGPLs), which enable oxygen to permeate through the lens material. Bacterial species belonging to early- and late-colonizing groups were successfully established as single- or three-species biofilms, with each group comprising Streptococcus gordonii, Streptococcus oralis, and Streptococcus sanguinis; S. gordonii, Actinomyces naeslundii, and Fusobacterium nucleatum; or S. gordonii, F. nucleatum, and Porphyromonas gingivalis. Quantification of biofilm numbers by quantitative PCR (qPCR) revealed substantial differences in the magnitude of bacterial numbers in single-species and multispecies biofilms. We evaluated cell-permeable conventional nucleic acid stains acridine orange, hexidium iodide, and Hoechst 33258 and novel SYTO red, blue, and green fluorochromes for their effect on bacterial viability and fluorescence yield to allow visualization of the aggregates of individual bacterial species by confocal laser scanning microscopy (CLSM). Substantial differences in the quantity and distribution of the species in the multispecies biofilms were identified. The specific features of these biofilms may help us better understand the role of various bacteria in local challenge of oral tissues. PMID:21421785

Stability of a lab-scale biofilm for simultaneous removal of phosphorus and nitrate

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Falkentoft, Christina Maria; Harremoës, Poul; Mosbæk, Hans

2001-01-01

with different start concentrations of acetate, nitrate or phosphate were conducted. These verified 0.5 and 0 order removal rates in the bulk water depending on the concentration. This was taken as an indication of a zonation of the biofilm. Due to the measured variability in the activity and due......A lab-scale biofilm reactor for simultaneous removal of phosphorus and nitrate was operated for one and a half years. Despite using only well defined synthetic wastewater and well defined operation, the activity varied significantly over the months. It was speculated that microbial population...

Biofilm roughness determines Cryptosporidium parvum retention in environmental biofilms.

Science.gov (United States)

DiCesare, E A Wolyniak; Hargreaves, B R; Jellison, K L

2012-06-01

The genus Cryptosporidium is a group of waterborne protozoan parasites that have been implicated in significant outbreaks of gastrointestinal infections throughout the world. Biofilms trap these pathogens and can contaminate water supplies through subsequent release. Biofilm microbial assemblages were collected seasonally from three streams in eastern Pennsylvania and used to grow biofilms in laboratory microcosms. Daily oocyst counts in the influx and efflux flow allowed the calculation of daily oocyst retention in the biofilm. Following the removal of oocysts from the influx water, oocyst attachment to the biofilm declined to an equilibrium state within 5 days that was sustained for at least 25 days. Varying the oocyst loading rate for the system showed that biofilm retention could be saturated, suggesting that discrete binding sites determined the maximum number of oocysts retained. Oocyst retention varied seasonally but was consistent across all three sites; however, seasonal oocyst retention was not consistent across years at the same site. No correlation between oocyst attachment and any measured water quality parameter was found. However, oocyst retention was strongly correlated with biofilm surface roughness and roughness varied among seasons and across years. We hypothesize that biofilm roughness and oocyst retention are dependent on environmentally driven changes in the biofilm community rather than directly on water quality conditions. It is important to understand oocyst transport dynamics to reduce risks of human infection. Better understanding of factors controlling biofilm retention of oocysts should improve our understanding of oocyst transport at different scales.

Physical abrasion method using submerged spike balls to remove algal biofilm from photobioreactors.

Science.gov (United States)

Nawar, Azra; Khoja, Asif Hussain; Akbar, Naveed; Ansari, Abeera Ayaz; Qayyum, Muneeb; Ali, Ehsan

2017-12-02

A major factor in practical application of photobioreactors (PBR) is the adhesion of algal cells onto their inner walls. Optimized algal growth requires an adequate sunlight for the photosynthesis and cell growth. Limitation in light exposure adversely affects the algal biomass yield. The removal of the biofilm from PBR is a challenging and expansive task. This study was designed to develop an inexpensive technique to prevent adhesion of algal biofilm on tubular PBR to ensure high efficiency of light utilization. Rubber balls with surface projections were introduced into the reactor, to remove the adherent biofilm by physical abrasion technique. The floatation of spike balls created a turbulent flow, thereby inhibiting further biofilm formation. The parameters such as, specific growth rate and doubling time of the algae before introducing the balls were 0.451 day -1 and 1.5 days respectively. Visible biofilm impeding light transmission was formed by 15-20 days. The removal of the biofilm commenced immediately after the introduction of the spike balls with visibly reduced deposits in 3 days. This was also validated by enhance cell count (6.95 × 106 cells mL -1 ) in the medium. The employment of spike balls in PBR is an environmental friendly and economical method for the removal of biofilm.

Effects of Electrical Stimulation on the Degradation of Azo Dye in Three-Dimensional Biofilm Electrode Reactors

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Xian Cao

2017-04-01

Full Text Available Three-dimensional biofilm electrode reactors (3D-BERs were constructed to degrade the azo dye Reactive Brilliant Red (RBR X-3B. The 3D-BERs with different influent concentrations and external voltages were individually studied to investigate their influence on the removal of X-3B. Experimental results showed that 3D-BERs have good X-3B removal efficiency; even when the influent concentration was 800 mg/L, removal efficiency of 73.4% was still achieved. In addition, the X-3B removal efficiency stabilized shortly after the influent concentration increased. In 3D-BERs, the average X-3B removal efficiency increased from 52.8% to 85.4% when the external voltage rose from 0 to 2 V. We further identified the intermediate products via UV-Vis and gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS analyses, and discussed the potential mechanism of degradation. After the conjugate structure of X-3B was destroyed, all of the substances generated mainly consisted of lower-molecular-weight organics.

Lipopeptide biosurfactant viscosin enhances dispersal of Pseudomonas fluorescens SBW25 biofilms.

Science.gov (United States)

Bonnichsen, Lise; Bygvraa Svenningsen, Nanna; Rybtke, Morten; de Bruijn, Irene; Raaijmakers, Jos M; Tolker-Nielsen, Tim; Nybroe, Ole

2015-12-01

Pseudomonads produce several lipopeptide biosurfactants that have antimicrobial properties but that also facilitate surface motility and influence biofilm formation. Detailed studies addressing the significance of lipopeptides for biofilm formation and architecture are rare. Hence, the present study sets out to determine the specific role of the lipopeptide viscosin in Pseudomonas fluorescens SBW25 biofilm formation, architecture and dispersal, and to relate viscA gene expression to viscosin production and effect. Initially, we compared biofilm formation of SBW25 and the viscosin-deficient mutant strain SBW25ΔviscA in static microtitre assays. These experiments demonstrated that viscosin had little influence on the amount of biofilm formed by SBW25 during the early stages of biofilm development. Later, however, SBW25 formed significantly less biofilm than SBW25ΔviscA. The indication that viscosin is involved in biofilm dispersal was confirmed by chemical complementation of the mutant biofilm. Furthermore, a fluorescent bioreporter showed that viscA expression was induced in biofilms 4 h prior to dispersal. Subsequent detailed studies of biofilms formed in flow cells for up to 5 days revealed that SBW25 and SBW25ΔviscA developed comparable biofilms dominated by well-defined, mushroom-shaped structures. Carbon starvation was required to obtain biofilm dispersal in this system. Dispersal of SBW25 biofilms was significantly greater than of SBW25ΔviscA biofilms after 3 h and, importantly, carbon starvation strongly induced viscA expression, in particular for cells that were apparently leaving the biofilm. Thus, the present study points to a role for viscosin-facilitated motility in dispersal of SBW25 biofilms.

Modeling of Mesoscale Variability in Biofilm Shear Behavior.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Pallab Barai

Full Text Available Formation of bacterial colonies as biofilm on the surface/interface of various objects has the potential to impact not only human health and disease but also energy and environmental considerations. Biofilms can be regarded as soft materials, and comprehension of their shear response to external forces is a key element to the fundamental understanding. A mesoscale model has been presented in this article based on digitization of a biofilm microstructure. Its response under externally applied shear load is analyzed. Strain stiffening type behavior is readily observed under high strain loads due to the unfolding of chains within soft polymeric substrate. Sustained shear loading of the biofilm network results in strain localization along the diagonal direction. Rupture of the soft polymeric matrix can potentially reduce the intercellular interaction between the bacterial cells. Evolution of stiffness within the biofilm network under shear reveals two regimes: a initial increase in stiffness due to strain stiffening of polymer matrix, and b eventual reduction in stiffness because of tear in polymeric substrate.

Role of Extracellular DNA during Biofilm Formation by Listeria monocytogenes

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Harmsen, Morten; Lappann, Martin; Knøchel, S

2010-01-01

(eDNA) may be the only central component of the biofilm matrix and that it is necessary for both initial attachment and early biofilm formation for 41 L. monocytogenes strains that were tested. DNase I treatment resulted in dispersal of biofilms, not only in microtiter tray assays but also in flow......Listeria monocytogenes is a food-borne pathogen that is capable of living in harsh environments. It is believed to do this by forming biofilms, which are surface-associated multicellular structures encased in a self-produced matrix. In this paper we show that in L. monocytogenes extracellular DNA...... cell biofilm assays. However, it was also demonstrated that in a culture without eDNA, neither Listeria genomic DNA nor salmon sperm DNA by itself could restore the capacity to adhere. A search for additional necessary components revealed that peptidoglycan (PG), specifically N-acetylglucosamine (NAG...

Biofilm Infections

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Bjarnsholt, Thomas; Jensen, Peter Østrup; Moser, Claus Ernst

A still increasing interest and emphasis on the sessile bacterial lifestyle biofilms has been seen since it was realized that the vast majority of the total microbial biomass exists as biofilms. Aggregation of bacteria was first described by Leeuwenhoek in 1677, but only recently recognized...... as being important in chronic infection. In 1993 the American Society for Microbiology (ASM) recognized that the biofilm mode of growth was relevant to microbiology. This book covers both the evidence for biofilms in many chronic bacterial infections as well as the problems facing these infections...... such as diagnostics, pathogenesis, treatment regimes and in vitro and in vivo models for studying biofilms. This is the first scientific book on biofilm infections, chapters written by the world leading scientist and clinicians. The intended audience of this book is scientists, teachers at university level as well...

Modeling bacterial attachment to surfaces as an early stage of biofilm development.

Science.gov (United States)

El Moustaid, Fadoua; Eladdadi, Amina; Uys, Lafras

2013-06-01

Biofilms are present in all natural, medical and industrial surroundings where bacteria live. Biofilm formation is a key factor in the growth and transport of both beneficial and harmful bacteria. While much is known about the later stages of biofilm formation, less is known about its initiation which is an important first step in the biofilm formation. In this paper, we develop a non-linear system of partial differential equations of Keller-Segel type model in one-dimensional space, which couples the dynamics of bacterial movement to that of the sensing molecules. In this case, bacteria perform a biased random walk towards the sensing molecules. We derive the boundary conditions of the adhesion of bacteria to a surface using zero-Dirichlet boundary conditions, while the equation describing sensing molecules at the interface needed particular conditions to be set. The numerical results show the profile of bacteria within the space and the time evolution of the density within the free-space and on the surface. Testing different parameter values indicate that significant amount of sensing molecules present on the surface leads to a faster bacterial movement toward the surface which is the first step of biofilm initiation. Our work gives rise to results that agree with the biological description of the early stages of biofilm formation.

Direct measurement and characterization of active photosynthesis zones inside biofuel producing and wastewater remediating microalgal biofilms

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Bernstein, Hans C.; Kesaano, Maureen; Moll, Karen; Smith, Terence; Gerlach, Robin; Carlson, Ross; Miller, Charles D.; Peyton, Brent; Cooksey, Keith; Gardner, Robert D.; Sims, Ronald C.

2014-03-01

Abstract: Microalgal biofilm based technologies are of keen interest due to their high biomass concentrations and ability to utilize renewable resources, such as light and CO2. While photoautotrophic biofilms have long been used for wastewater remediation applications, biofuel production represents a relatively new and under-represented focus area. However, the direct measurement and characterization of fundamental parameters required for physiological analyses are challenging due to biofilm heterogeneity. This study evaluated oxygenic photosynthesis and biofuel precursor molecule production using a novel rotating algal biofilm reactor (RABR) operated at field- and laboratory-scales for wastewater remediation and biofuel production, respectively. Clear differences in oxygenic-photosynthesis, respiration and biofuel-precursor capacities were observed between the two systems and different conditions based on light and nitrogen availability. Nitrogen depletion was not found to have the same effect on lipid accumulation compared to prior planktonic studies. Physiological characterizations of these microalgal biofilms identify potential areas for future process optimization.

Hydrogen sulfide oxidation in novel Horizontal-Flow Biofilm Reactors dominated by an Acidithiobacillus and a Thiobacillus species.

Science.gov (United States)

Gerrity, S; Kennelly, C; Clifford, E; Collins, G

2016-09-01

Hydrogen Sulfide (H2S) is an odourous, highly toxic gas commonly encountered in various commercial and municipal sectors. Three novel, laboratory-scale, Horizontal-Flow Biofilm Reactors (HFBRs) were tested for the removal of H2S gas from air streams over a 178-day trial at 10°C. Removal rates of up to 15.1 g [H2S] m(-3) h(-1) were achieved, demonstrating the HFBRs as a feasible technology for the treatment of H2S-contaminated airstreams at low temperatures. Bio-oxidation of H2S in the reactors led to the production of H(+) and sulfate (SO(2-)4) ions, resulting in the acidification of the liquid phase. Reduced removal efficiency was observed at loading rates of 15.1 g [H2S] m(-3) h(-1). NaHCO3 addition to the liquid nutrient feed (synthetic wastewater (SWW)) resulted in improved H2S removal. Bacterial diversity, which was investigated by sequencing and fingerprinting 16S rRNA genes, was low, likely due to the harsh conditions prevailing in the systems. The HFBRs were dominated by two species from the genus Acidithiobacillus and Thiobacillus. Nonetheless, there were significant differences in microbial community structure between distinct HFBR zones due to the influence of alkalinity, pH and SO4 concentrations. Despite the low temperature, this study indicates HFBRs have an excellent potential to biologically treat H2S-contaminated airstreams.

One step bioconversion of waste precious metals into Serratia biofilm-immobilized catalyst for Cr(VI) reduction.

Science.gov (United States)

Yong, P; Liu, W; Zhang, Z; Beauregard, D; Johns, M L; Macaskie, L E

2015-11-01

For reduction of Cr(VI) the Pd-catalyst is excellent but costly. The objectives were to prove the robustness of a Serratia biofilm as a support for biogenic Pd-nanoparticles and to fabricate effective catalyst from precious metal waste. Nanoparticles (NPs) of palladium were immobilized on polyurethane reticulated foam and polypropylene supports via adhesive biofilm of a Serratia sp. The biofilm adhesion and cohesion strength were unaffected by palladization and catalytic biofilm integrity was also shown by magnetic resonance imaging. Biofilm-Pd and mixed precious metals on biofilm (biofilm-PM) reduced 5 mM Cr(VI) to Cr(III) when immobilized in a flow-through column reactor, at respective flow rates of 9 and 6 ml/h. The lower activity of the latter was attributed to fewer, larger, metal deposits on the bacteria. Activity was lost in each case at pH 7 but was restored by washing with 5 mM citrate solution or by exposure of columns to solution at pH 2, suggesting fouling by Cr(III) hydroxide product at neutral pH. A 'one pot' conversion of precious metal waste into new catalyst for waste decontamination was shown in a continuous flow system based on the use of Serratia biofilm to manufacture and support catalytic Pd-nanoparticles.

Synchronized dynamics of bacterial niche-specific functions during biofilm development in a cold seep brine pool

KAUST Repository

Zhang, Weipeng; Wang, Yong; Bougouffa, Salim; Tian, Renmao; Cao, Huiluo; Li, Yongxin; Cai, Lin; Wong, Yue Him; Zhang, Gen; Zhou, Guowei; Zhang, Xixiang; Bajic, Vladimir B.; Al-Suwailem, Abdulaziz M.; Qian, Pei-Yuan

2015-01-01

in the brine biofilms were reconstructed. Despite rather small genome sizes, the deltaproteobacterium possessed enhanced polysaccharide fermentation pathways, whereas the epsilonproteobacterium was a versatile nitrogen reactor possessing nar, nap and nif gene

Toluene biodegradation and biofilm growth in an aerobic fixed-film reactor

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Arcangeli, Jean-Pierre; Arvin, Erik

1992-01-01

Aerobic biodegradation of toluene in a biofilm system was investigated. Toluene is easily biodegradable, like several other aromatic compounds. The degradation was first order at bulk concentrations lower than 0.14 mg/l and zero order above 6–8 mg/l. An average yield coefficient of 1 mg biomass...

Non-Tuberculous Mycobacteria multispecies biofilms in cystic fibrosis: development of an in vitro Mycobacterium abscessus and Pseudomonas aeruginosa dual species biofilm model.

Science.gov (United States)

Rodríguez-Sevilla, Graciela; García-Coca, Marta; Romera-García, David; Aguilera-Correa, John Jairo; Mahíllo-Fernández, Ignacio; Esteban, Jaime; Pérez-Jorge, Concepción

2018-04-01

Lung disease in cystic fibrosis (CF) is characterized by the progressive colonization of the respiratory tract by different bacteria, which develop polymicrobial biofilms. In the past decades, there has been an increase in the number of CF patients infected with Non-Tuberculous Mycobacteria (NTM). Although Mycobacterium abscessus is the main NTM isolated globally, little is known about M. abscessus multispecies biofilm formation. In the present study we developed an in vitro model to study the phenotypic characteristics of biofilms formed by M. abscessus and Pseudomonas aeruginosa, a major pathogen in CF. For that purpose, dual species biofilms were grown on polycarbonate membranes with a fixed concentration of P. aeruginosa and different inoculums of M. abscessus. The biofilms were sampled at 24, 48, and 72 h and bacteria were quantified in specific media. The results revealed that the increasing initial concentration of M. abscessus in dual species biofilms had an effect on its population only at 24 and 48 h, whereas P. aeruginosa was not affected by the different concentrations used of M. abscessus. Time elapsed increased biofilm formation of both species, specially between 24 and 48 h. According to the results, the conditions to produce a mature dual species biofilm in which the relative species distribution remained stable were 72 h growth of the mixed microbial culture at a 1:1 ratio. A significant decrease in mycobacterial population in dual compared to single species biofilms was found, suggesting that P. aeruginosa has a negative influence on M. abscessus. Finally, in a proof of concept experiment, young and mature dual species biofilms were exposed to clarithromycin. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier GmbH. All rights reserved.

Organic compounds inhibiting S. epidermidis adhesion and biofilm formation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Qin, Zhiqiang; Zhang, Jingdong; Hu, Yifan; Chi, Qijin; Mortensen, Ninell P.; Qu, Di; Molin, Soren; Ulstrup, Jens

2009-01-01

The formation of biofilms on surfaces of indwelling medical devices is a serious medical problem. Staphylococcus epidermidis is a common pathogen found to colonize implanted devices and as a biofilm is more resistant to the host immune system as well as to antibiotic treatments. Combating S. epidermidis infections by preventing or eradicating biofilm formation of the bacterium is therefore a medically important challenge. We report here a study of biofilm formation of S. epidermidis on solid surfaces using a combination of confocal laser scanning (CLSM) and atomic force microscopy (AFM) in both air and aqueous environments. We have investigated the inhibitory effects of surfaces treated with four organic compounds, two benzoate derivatives denoted as compound 59 and 75 and two carboxamide derivatives denoted as compound 47 and 73, on S. epidermidis adhesion and biofilm formation. All four compounds evoke significant inhibitory effects on the formation of S. epidermidis biofilms with compounds 47 and 73 being most effective. None of the compounds were found to inhibit growth of S. epidermidis in liquid cultures. Bacteria attached to the substrate when exposed to the compounds were not affected indicating that these compounds inhibit initial adhesion. These results suggest a pretreatment for medically implanted surfaces that can prevent the biofilm formation and reduce infection.

SEM Analysis of Surface Impact on Biofilm Antibiotic Treatment.

Science.gov (United States)

Gomes, Luciana Calheiros; Mergulhão, Filipe José

2017-01-01

The aim of this work was to use scanning electron microscopy (SEM) to investigate the effect of ampicillin treatment on Escherichia coli biofilms formed on two surface materials with different properties, silicone (SIL) and glass (GLA). Epifluorescence microscopy (EM) was initially used to assess biofilm formation and killing efficiency on both surfaces. This technique showed that higher bacterial colonization was obtained in the hydrophobic SIL than in the hydrophilic GLA. It has also shown that higher biofilm inactivation was attained for GLA after the antibiotic treatment (7-log reduction versus 1-log reduction for SIL). Due to its high resolution and magnification, SEM enabled a more detailed analysis of the antibiotic effect on biofilm cells, complementing the killing efficiency information obtained by EM. SEM micrographs revealed that ampicillin-treated cells have an elongated form when compared to untreated cells. Additionally, it has shown that different materials induced different levels of elongation on cells exposed to antibiotic. Biofilms formed on GLA showed a 37% higher elongation than those formed on SIL. Importantly, cell elongation was related to viability since ampicillin had a higher bactericidal effect on GLA-formed biofilms. These findings raise the possibility of using SEM for understanding the efficacy of antimicrobial treatments by observation of biofilm morphology.

Organic compounds inhibiting S. epidermidis adhesion and biofilm formation

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Qin, Zhiqiang [Department of Systems Biology, Technical University of Denmark, Dk-2800 Kgs. Lyngby (Denmark); Key Laboratory of Medical Molecular Virology of Ministry of Education and Public Health, Institute of Medical Microbiology and Institutes of Biomedical Science, Shanghai Medical School of Fudan University, Yi Xue Yuan Road 138, Shanghai 200032 (China); Division of Infectious Diseases, Department of Medicine, Hollings Cancer Center, Medical University of South Carolina, 86 Jonathan Lucas Street, Charleston, SC 29425 (United States); Zhang, Jingdong; Hu, Yifan; Chi, Qijin [Department of Chemistry, Building 207, NanoDTU, Technical University of Denmark, DK-2800 Kgs. Lyngby (Denmark); Mortensen, Ninell P. [Department of Systems Biology, Technical University of Denmark, Dk-2800 Kgs. Lyngby (Denmark); Department of Biochemistry and Cellular and Molecular Biology, University of Tennessee, Knoxville, TN 37932 (United States); Qu, Di [Key Laboratory of Medical Molecular Virology of Ministry of Education and Public Health, Institute of Medical Microbiology and Institutes of Biomedical Science, Shanghai Medical School of Fudan University, Yi Xue Yuan Road 138, Shanghai 200032 (China); Molin, Soren [Department of Systems Biology, Technical University of Denmark, Dk-2800 Kgs. Lyngby (Denmark); Ulstrup, Jens, E-mail: ju@kemi.dtu.dk [Department of Chemistry, Building 207, NanoDTU, Technical University of Denmark, DK-2800 Kgs. Lyngby (Denmark)

2009-07-15

The formation of biofilms on surfaces of indwelling medical devices is a serious medical problem. Staphylococcus epidermidis is a common pathogen found to colonize implanted devices and as a biofilm is more resistant to the host immune system as well as to antibiotic treatments. Combating S. epidermidis infections by preventing or eradicating biofilm formation of the bacterium is therefore a medically important challenge. We report here a study of biofilm formation of S. epidermidis on solid surfaces using a combination of confocal laser scanning (CLSM) and atomic force microscopy (AFM) in both air and aqueous environments. We have investigated the inhibitory effects of surfaces treated with four organic compounds, two benzoate derivatives denoted as compound 59 and 75 and two carboxamide derivatives denoted as compound 47 and 73, on S. epidermidis adhesion and biofilm formation. All four compounds evoke significant inhibitory effects on the formation of S. epidermidis biofilms with compounds 47 and 73 being most effective. None of the compounds were found to inhibit growth of S. epidermidis in liquid cultures. Bacteria attached to the substrate when exposed to the compounds were not affected indicating that these compounds inhibit initial adhesion. These results suggest a pretreatment for medically implanted surfaces that can prevent the biofilm formation and reduce infection.

Biophysics of biofilm infection.

Science.gov (United States)

Stewart, Philip S

2014-04-01

This article examines a likely basis of the tenacity of biofilm infections that has received relatively little attention: the resistance of biofilms to mechanical clearance. One way that a biofilm infection persists is by withstanding the flow of fluid or other mechanical forces that work to wash or sweep microorganisms out of the body. The fundamental criterion for mechanical persistence is that the biofilm failure strength exceeds the external applied stress. Mechanical failure of the biofilm and release of planktonic microbial cells is also important in vivo because it can result in dissemination of infection. The fundamental criterion for detachment and dissemination is that the applied stress exceeds the biofilm failure strength. The apparent contradiction for a biofilm to both persist and disseminate is resolved by recognizing that biofilm material properties are inherently heterogeneous. There are also mechanical aspects to the ways that infectious biofilms evade leukocyte phagocytosis. The possibility of alternative therapies for treating biofilm infections that work by reducing biofilm cohesion could (1) allow prevailing hydrodynamic shear to remove biofilm, (2) increase the efficacy of designed interventions for removing biofilms, (3) enable phagocytic engulfment of softened biofilm aggregates, and (4) improve phagocyte mobility and access to biofilm. © 2013 Federation of European Microbiological Societies. Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd. All rights reserved.

Biofilms and Wounds: An Identification Algorithm and Potential Treatment Options

Science.gov (United States)

Percival, Steven L.; Vuotto, Claudia; Donelli, Gianfranco; Lipsky, Benjamin A.

2015-01-01

Significance: The presence of a “pathogenic” or “highly virulent” biofilm is a fundamental risk factor that prevents a chronic wound from healing and increases the risk of the wound becoming clinically infected. There is presently no unequivocal gold standard method available for clinicians to confirm the presence of biofilms in a wound. Thus, to help support clinician practice, we devised an algorithm intended to demonstrate evidence of the presence of a biofilm in a wound to assist with wound management. Recent Advances: A variety of histological and microscopic methods applied to tissue biopsies are currently the most informative techniques available for demonstrating the presence of generic (not classified as pathogenic or commensal) biofilms and the effect they are having in promoting inflammation and downregulating cellular functions. Critical Issues: Even as we rely on microscopic techniques to visualize biofilms, they are entities which are patchy and dispersed rather than confluent, particularly on biotic surfaces. Consequently, detection of biofilms by microscopic techniques alone can lead to frequent false-negative results. Furthermore, visual identification using the naked eye of a pathogenic biofilm on a macroscopic level on the wound will not be possible, unlike with biofilms on abiotic surfaces. Future Direction: Lacking specific biomarkers to demonstrate microscopic, nonconfluent, virulent biofilms in wounds, the present focus on biofilm research should be placed on changing clinical practice. This is best done by utilizing an anti-biofilm toolbox approach, rather than speculating on unscientific approaches to identifying biofilms, with or without staining, in wounds with the naked eye. The approach to controlling biofilm should include initial wound cleansing, periodic debridement, followed by the application of appropriate antimicrobial wound dressings. This approach appears to be effective in removing pathogenic biofilms. PMID:26155381

Balancing the organic load and light supply in symbiotic microalgal–bacterial biofilm reactors treating synthetic municipal wastewater

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Boelee, N.C.; Temmink, B.G.; Janssen, M.; Buisman, C.J.N.; Wijffels, R.H.

2014-01-01

Symbiotic microalgal–bacterial biofilms can be very attractive for municipal wastewater treatment. Microalgae remove nitrogen and phosphorus and simultaneously produce the oxygen that is required for the aerobic, heterotrophic degradation of organic pollutants. For the application of these biofilms

The Impact of Alkaliphilic Biofilm Formation on the Release and Retention of Carbon Isotopes from Nuclear Reactor Graphite.

Science.gov (United States)

Rout, S P; Payne, L; Walker, S; Scott, T; Heard, P; Eccles, H; Bond, G; Shah, P; Bills, P; Jackson, B R; Boxall, S A; Laws, A P; Charles, C; Williams, S J; Humphreys, P N

2018-03-13

14 C is an important consideration within safety assessments for proposed geological disposal facilities for radioactive wastes, since it is capable of re-entering the biosphere through the generation of 14 C bearing gases. The irradiation of graphite moderators in the UK gas-cooled nuclear power stations has led to the generation of a significant volume of 14 C-containing intermediate level wastes. Some of this 14 C is present as a carbonaceous deposit on channel wall surfaces. Within this study, the potential of biofilm growth upon irradiated and 13 C doped graphite at alkaline pH was investigated. Complex biofilms were established on both active and simulant samples. High throughput sequencing showed the biofilms to be dominated by Alcaligenes sp at pH 9.5 and Dietzia sp at pH 11.0. Surface characterisation revealed that the biofilms were limited to growth upon the graphite surface with no penetration of the deeper porosity. Biofilm formation resulted in the generation of a low porosity surface layer without the removal or modification of the surface deposits or the release of the associated 14 C/ 13 C. Our results indicated that biofilm formation upon irradiated graphite is likely to occur at the pH values studied, without any additional release of the associated 14 C.

Inhibitory effect of farnesol on biofilm formation by Candida tropicalis

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

E Zibafar

2009-03-01

Full Text Available ABSTRACT Background: Candidiasis associated with indwelling medical devices is especially problematic since they can act as substrates for biofilm growth which are highly resistant to antifungal drugs. Farnesol is a quorum-sensing molecule that inhibits filamentation and biofilm formation in Candida albicans. Since in recent years Candida tropicalis have been reported as an important and common non-albicans Candida species with high drug resistance pattern, the inhibitory effect of farnesol on biofilm formation by Candida tropicalis was evaluated. Methods: Five Candida tropicalis strains were treated with different concentration of farnesol (0, 30 and 300 µM after 0, 1 and 4 hrs of adherence and then they were maintained under biofilm formation condition in polystyrene, 96-well microtiter plates at 37°C for 48 hrs. Biofilm formation was measured by a semiquantitative colorimetric technique based on reduction assay of 2,3- bis  -2H-tetrazolium- 5- carboxanilide (XTT. Results: The results indicated that the initial adherence time had no effect on biofilm formation and low concentration of farnesol (30 µM could not inhibit biofilm formation. However the presence of non-adherent cells increased biofilm formation significantly and the high concentration of farnesol (300 µM could inhibit biofilm formation. Conclusion: Results of this study showed that the high concentration of farnesol could inhibit biofilm formation and may be used as an adjuvant in prevention and in therapeutic strategies with antifungal drugs.

Biofilms and mechanics: a review of experimental techniques and findings

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Gordon, Vernita D; Davis-Fields, Megan; Kovach, Kristin; Rodesney, Christopher A

2017-01-01

Biofilms are developmentally-dynamic communities of sessile microbes that adhere to each other and, often, to other structures in their environment. The cohesive mechanical forces binding microbes to each other confer mechanical and structural stability on the biofilm and give rise to biofilm viscoelasticity. The adhesive mechanical forces binding microbes to other structures in their environment can promote biofilm initiation and mechanosensing that leads to changes in biological activity. Thus, physical mechanics is intrinsic to characteristics that distinguish biofilms from free-swimming or free-floating microbes in liquid culture. However, very little is known about the specifics of what mechanical traits characterize different types of biofilms at different stages of development. Even less is known about how mechanical inputs impact microbial biology and how microbes can adjust their mechanical coupling to, and interaction with, their environment. These knowledge gaps arise, in part, from the challenges associated with experimental measurements of microbial and biofilm biomechanics. Here, we review extant experimental techniques and their most-salient findings to date. At the end of this review we indicate areas where significant advances in the state-of-the art are heading. (topical review)

Biofilms and mechanics: a review of experimental techniques and findings

Science.gov (United States)

Gordon, Vernita D.; Davis-Fields, Megan; Kovach, Kristin; Rodesney, Christopher A.

2017-06-01

Biofilms are developmentally-dynamic communities of sessile microbes that adhere to each other and, often, to other structures in their environment. The cohesive mechanical forces binding microbes to each other confer mechanical and structural stability on the biofilm and give rise to biofilm viscoelasticity. The adhesive mechanical forces binding microbes to other structures in their environment can promote biofilm initiation and mechanosensing that leads to changes in biological activity. Thus, physical mechanics is intrinsic to characteristics that distinguish biofilms from free-swimming or free-floating microbes in liquid culture. However, very little is known about the specifics of what mechanical traits characterize different types of biofilms at different stages of development. Even less is known about how mechanical inputs impact microbial biology and how microbes can adjust their mechanical coupling to, and interaction with, their environment. These knowledge gaps arise, in part, from the challenges associated with experimental measurements of microbial and biofilm biomechanics. Here, we review extant experimental techniques and their most-salient findings to date. At the end of this review we indicate areas where significant advances in the state-of-the art are heading.

Pitting corrosion inhibition of aluminum 2024 by Bacillus biofilms secreting polyaspartate or gamma-polyglutamate.

Science.gov (United States)

Ornek, D; Jayaraman, A; Syrett, B C; Hsu, C-H; Mansfeld, F B; Wood, T K

2002-04-01

Pitting corrosion of aluminum 2024 in Luria Bertani medium was reduced by the secretion of anionic peptides by engineered and natural Bacillus biofilms and was studied in continuous reactors using electrochemical impedance spectroscopy. Compared to sterile controls, pitting was reduced dramatically by the presence of the biofilms. The secretion of a 20 amino acid polyaspartate peptide by an engineered Bacillus subtilis WB600/pBE92-Asp biofilm slightly reduced the corrosion rate of the passive aluminum alloy at pH 6.5; however, the secretion of gamma-polyglutamate by a Bacillus licheniformis biofilm reduced the corrosion rate by 90% (compared to the B. subtilis WB600/pBE92 biofilm which did not secrete polyaspartate or gamma-polyglutamate). The corrosion potential ( E(corr)) of aluminum 2024 was increased by about 0.15-0.44 V due to the formation of B. subtilis and B. licheniformis biofilms as compared to sterile controls. The increase of E(corr) and the observed prevention of pitting indicate that the pitting potential ( E(pit)) had increased. This result and the further decrease of corrosion rates for the passive aluminum alloy suggest that the rate of the anodic metal dissolution reaction was reduced by an inhibitor produced by the biofilms. Purified gamma-polyglutamate also decreased the corrosion rates of aluminum 2024.

Treatment of Oral Multispecies Biofilms by an Anti-Biofilm Peptide.

Science.gov (United States)

Wang, Zhejun; de la Fuente-Núñez, Cesar; Shen, Ya; Haapasalo, Markus; Hancock, Robert E W

2015-01-01

Human oral biofilms are multispecies microbial communities that exhibit high resistance to antimicrobial agents. Dental plaque gives rise to highly prevalent and costly biofilm-related oral infections, which lead to caries or other types of oral infections. We investigated the ability of the recently identified anti-biofilm peptide 1018 to induce killing of bacterial cells present within oral multispecies biofilms. At 10 μg/ml (6.5 μM), peptide 1018 was able to significantly (pbiofilm formation over 3 days. The activity of the peptide on preformed biofilms was found to be concentration-dependent since more than 60% of the total plaque biofilm cell population was killed by 10 μg/ml of peptide 1018 in 3 days, while at 5 μg/ml 50% of cells were dead and at 1 μg/ml the peptide triggered cell death in around 30% of the total bacterial population, as revealed by confocal microscopy. The presence of saliva did not affect peptide activity, since no statistically significant difference was found in the ability of peptide 1018 to kill oral biofilms using either saliva coated and non-saliva coated hydroxyapatite surfaces. Scanning electron microscopy experiments indicated that peptide 1018 induced cell lysis in plaque biofilms. Furthermore, combined treatment using peptide 1018 and chlorhexidine (CHX) increased the anti-biofilm activity of each compound compared to when these were used alone, resulting in >50% of the biofilm being killed and >35% being dispersed in only 3 minutes. Peptide 1018 may potentially be used by itself or in combination with CHX as a non-toxic and effective anti-biofilm agent for plaque disinfection in clinical dentistry.

Biofilm-Associated Gene Expression in Staphylococcus pseudintermedius on a Variety of Implant Materials.

Science.gov (United States)

Crawford, Evan C; Singh, Ameet; Gibson, Thomas W G; Scott Weese, J

2016-05-01

To evaluate the expression of biofilm-associated genes in Staphylococcus pseudintermedius on multiple clinically relevant surfaces. In vitro experimental study. Two strains of methicillin-resistant S. pseudintermedius isolated from clinical infections representing the most common international isolates. A quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qPCR) assay for expression of genes related to biofilm initial adhesion, formation/maturation, antimicrobial resistance, and intracellular communication was developed and validated. S. pseudintermedius biofilms were grown on 8 clinically relevant surfaces (polymethylmethacrylate, stainless steel, titanium, latex, silicone, polydioxanone, polystyrene, and glass) and samples of logarithmic and stationary growth phases were collected. Gene expression in samples was measured by qPCR. Significant differences in gene expression were identified between surfaces and between bacterial strains for most gene/strain/surface combinations studied. Expression of genes responsible for production of extracellular matrix were increased in biofilms. Expression of genes responsible for initial adhesion and intracellular communication was markedly variable. Antimicrobial resistance gene expression was increased on multiple surfaces, including stainless steel and titanium. A method for evaluation of expression of multiple biofilm-associated genes in S. pseudintermedius was successfully developed and applied to the study of biofilms on multiple surfaces. Variations in expression of these genes have a bearing on understanding the development and treatment of implant-associated biofilm infections and will inform future clinical research. © Copyright 2016 by The American College of Veterinary Surgeons.

Livestock-associated methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (LA-MRSA isolates of swine origin form robust biofilms.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Tracy L Nicholson

Full Text Available Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA colonization of livestock animals is common and prevalence rates for pigs have been reported to be as high as 49%. Mechanisms contributing to the persistent carriage and high prevalence rates of livestock-associated methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (LA-MRSA strains in swine herds and production facilities have not been investigated. One explanation for the high prevalence of MRSA in swine herds is the ability of these organisms to exist as biofilms. In this report, the ability of swine LA-MRSA strains, including ST398, ST9, and ST5, to form biofilms was quantified and compared to several swine and human isolates. The contribution of known biofilm matrix components, polysaccharides, proteins and extracellular DNA (eDNA, was tested in all strains as well. All MRSA swine isolates formed robust biofilms similar to human clinical isolates. The addition of Dispersin B had no inhibitory effect on swine MRSA isolates when added at the initiation of biofilm growth or after pre-established mature biofilms formed. In contrast, the addition of proteinase K inhibited biofilm formation in all strains when added at the initiation of biofilm growth and was able to disperse pre-established mature biofilms. Of the LA-MRSA strains tested, we found ST398 strains to be the most sensitive to both inhibition of biofilm formation and dispersal of pre-formed biofilms by DNaseI. Collectively, these findings provide a critical first step in designing strategies to control or eliminate MRSA in swine herds.

Staphylococcus aureus biofilms: recent developments in biofilm dispersal.

Science.gov (United States)

Lister, Jessica L; Horswill, Alexander R

2014-01-01

Staphylococcus aureus is a major cause of nosocomial and community-acquired infections and represents a significant burden on the healthcare system. S. aureus attachment to medical implants and host tissue, and the establishment of a mature biofilm, play an important role in the persistence of chronic infections. The formation of a biofilm, and encasement of cells in a polymer-based matrix, decreases the susceptibility to antimicrobials and immune defenses, making these infections difficult to eradicate. During infection, dispersal of cells from the biofilm can result in spread to secondary sites and worsening of the infection. In this review, we discuss the current understanding of the pathways behind biofilm dispersal in S. aureus, with a focus on enzymatic and newly described broad-spectrum dispersal mechanisms. Additionally, we explore potential applications of dispersal in the treatment of biofilm-mediated infections.

Treatment of Oral Multispecies Biofilms by an Anti-Biofilm Peptide.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Zhejun Wang

Full Text Available Human oral biofilms are multispecies microbial communities that exhibit high resistance to antimicrobial agents. Dental plaque gives rise to highly prevalent and costly biofilm-related oral infections, which lead to caries or other types of oral infections. We investigated the ability of the recently identified anti-biofilm peptide 1018 to induce killing of bacterial cells present within oral multispecies biofilms. At 10 μg/ml (6.5 μM, peptide 1018 was able to significantly (p50% of the biofilm being killed and >35% being dispersed in only 3 minutes. Peptide 1018 may potentially be used by itself or in combination with CHX as a non-toxic and effective anti-biofilm agent for plaque disinfection in clinical dentistry.

Effect of engineered environment on microbial community structure in biofilter and biofilm on reverse osmosis membrane

KAUST Repository

Jeong, Sanghyun; Cho, Kyungjin; Jeong, Dawoon; Lee, Seockheon; Leiknes, TorOve; Vigneswaran, Saravanamuthu; Bae, Hyokwan

2017-01-01

Four dual media filters (DMFs) were operated in a biofiltration mode with different engineered environments (DMF I and II: coagulation with/without acidification and DMF III and IV: without/with chlorination). Designed biofilm enrichment reactors

The in vivo biofilm

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Bjarnsholt, Thomas; Alhede, Maria; Alhede, Morten

2013-01-01

Bacteria can grow and proliferate either as single, independent cells or organized in aggregates commonly referred to as biofilms. When bacteria succeed in forming a biofilm within the human host, the infection often becomes very resistant to treatment and can develop into a chronic state. Biofilms...... have been studied for decades using various in vitro models, but it remains debatable whether such in vitro biofilms actually resemble in vivo biofilms in chronic infections. In vivo biofilms share several structural characteristics that differ from most in vitro biofilms. Additionally, the in vivo...... experimental time span and presence of host defenses differ from chronic infections and the chemical microenvironment of both in vivo and in vitro biofilms is seldom taken into account. In this review, we discuss why the current in vitro models of biofilms might be limited for describing infectious biofilms...

Salmonella biofilms

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Castelijn, G.A.A.

2013-01-01

Biofilm formation by Salmonellaspp. is a problem in the food industry, since biofilms may act as a persistent source of product contamination. Therefore the aim of this study was to obtain more insight in the processes involved and the factors contributing to Salmonellabiofilm

77 FR 36014 - Initial Test Program of Emergency Core Cooling Systems for Boiling-Water Reactors

Science.gov (United States)

2012-06-15

... NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION [NRC-2012-0134] Initial Test Program of Emergency Core Cooling... for public comment draft regulatory guide (DG), DG-1277, ``Initial Test Program of Emergency Core..., entitled, ``Initial Test Program of Emergency Core Cooling Systems for Boiling-Water Reactors,'' is...

Hydroxylamine diffusion can enhance N₂O emissions in nitrifying biofilms: a modeling study.

Science.gov (United States)

Sabba, Fabrizio; Picioreanu, Cristian; Pérez, Julio; Nerenberg, Robert

2015-02-03

Wastewater treatment plants can be significant sources of nitrous oxide (N2O), a potent greenhouse gas. However, little is known about N2O emissions from biofilm processes. We adapted an existing suspended-growth mathematical model to explore N2O emissions from nitrifying biofilms. The model included N2O formation by ammonia-oxidizing bacteria (AOB) via the hydroxylamine and the nitrifier denitrification pathways. Our model suggested that N2O emissions from nitrifying biofilms could be significantly greater than from suspended growth systems under similar conditions. The main cause was the formation and diffusion of hydroxylamine, an AOB nitrification intermediate, from the aerobic to the anoxic regions of the biofilm. In the anoxic regions, hydroxylamine oxidation by AOB provided reducing equivalents used solely for nitrite reduction to N2O, since there was no competition with oxygen. For a continuous system, very high and very low dissolved oxygen (DO) concentrations resulted in lower emissions, while intermediate values led to higher emissions. Higher bulk ammonia concentrations and greater biofilm thicknesses increased emissions. The model effectively predicted N2O emissions from an actual pilot-scale granular sludge reactor for sidestream nitritation, but significantly underestimated the emissions when the NH2OH diffusion coefficient was assumed to be minimal. This numerical study suggests an unexpected and important role of hydroxylamine in N2O emission in biofilms.

Carbonaceous materials in petrochemical wastewater before and after treatment in an aerated submerged fixed-bed biofilm reactor

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Trojanowicz Karol

2016-09-01

Full Text Available Results of the studies for determining fractions of organic contaminants in a pretreated petrochemical wastewater flowing into a pilot Aerated Submerged Fixed-Bed Biofilm Reactor (ASFBBR are presented and discussed. The method of chemical oxygen demand (COD fractionation consisted of physical tests and biological assays. It was found that the main part of the total COD in the petrochemical, pretreated wastewater was soluble organic substance with average value of 57.6%. The fractions of particulate and colloidal organic matter were found to be 31.8% and 10.6%, respectively. About 40% of COD in the influent was determined as readily biodegradable COD. The inert fraction of the soluble organic matter in the petrochemical wastewater constituted about 60% of the influent colloidal and soluble COD. Determination of degree of hydrolysis (DH of the colloidal fraction of COD was also included in the paper. The estimated value of DH was about 62%. Values of the assayed COD fractions were compared with the same parameters obtained for municipal wastewater by other authors.

Fungal Biofilms: In Vivo Models for Discovery of Anti-Biofilm Drugs.

Science.gov (United States)

Nett, Jeniel E; Andes, David R

2015-06-01

During infection, fungi frequently transition to a biofilm lifestyle, proliferating as communities of surface-adherent aggregates of cells. Phenotypically, cells in a biofilm are distinct from free-floating cells. Their high tolerance of antifungals and ability to withstand host defenses are two characteristics that foster resilience. Biofilm infections are particularly difficult to eradicate, and most available antifungals have minimal activity. Therefore, the discovery of novel compounds and innovative strategies to treat fungal biofilms is of great interest. Although many fungi have been observed to form biofilms, the most well-studied is Candida albicans. Animal models have been developed to simulate common Candida device-associated infections, including those involving vascular catheters, dentures, urinary catheters, and subcutaneous implants. Models have also reproduced the most common mucosal biofilm infections: oropharyngeal and vaginal candidiasis. These models incorporate the anatomical site, immune components, and fluid dynamics of clinical niches and have been instrumental in the study of drug resistance and investigation of novel therapies. This chapter describes the significance of fungal biofilm infections, the animal models developed for biofilm study, and how these models have contributed to the development of new strategies for the eradication of fungal biofilm infections.

Synchronized dynamics of bacterial niche-specific functions during biofilm development in a cold seep brine pool

KAUST Repository

Zhang, Weipeng

2015-07-14

The biology of biofilm in deep-sea environments is barely being explored. Here, biofilms were developed at the brine pool (characterized by limited carbon sources) and the normal bottom water adjacent to Thuwal cold seeps. Comparative metagenomics based on 50 Gb datasets identified polysaccharide degradation, nitrate reduction, and proteolysis as enriched functional categories for brine biofilms. The genomes of two dominant species: a novel deltaproteobacterium and a novel epsilonproteobacterium in the brine biofilms were reconstructed. Despite rather small genome sizes, the deltaproteobacterium possessed enhanced polysaccharide fermentation pathways, whereas the epsilonproteobacterium was a versatile nitrogen reactor possessing nar, nap and nif gene clusters. These metabolic functions, together with specific regulatory and hypersaline-tolerant genes, made the two bacteria unique compared with their close relatives including those from hydrothermal vents. Moreover, these functions were regulated by biofilm development, as both the abundance and the expression level of key functional genes were higher in later-stage biofilms, and co-occurrences between the two dominant bacteria were demonstrated. Collectively, unique mechanisms were revealed: i) polysaccharides fermentation, proteolysis interacted with nitrogen cycling to form a complex chain for energy generation; ii) remarkably, exploiting and organizing niche-specific functions would be an important strategy for biofilm-dependent adaptation to the extreme conditions.

Biological perchlorate reduction in packed bed reactors using elemental sulfur.

Science.gov (United States)

Sahu, Ashish K; Conneely, Teresa; Nüsslein, Klaus R; Ergas, Sarina J

2009-06-15

Sulfur-utilizing perchlorate (ClO4-)-reducing bacteria were enriched from a denitrifying wastewater seed with elemental sulfur (S0) as an electron donor. The enrichment was composed of a diverse microbial community, with the majority identified as members of the phylum Proteobacteria. Cultures were inoculated into bench-scale packed bed reactors (PBR) with S0 and crushed oyster shell packing media. High ClO4-concentrations (5-8 mg/L) were reduced to PBR performance decreased when effluent recirculation was applied or when smaller S0 particle sizes were used, indicating that mass transfer of ClO4- to the attached biofilm was not the limiting mechanism in this process, and that biofilm acclimation and growth were key factors in overall reactor performance. The presence of nitrate (6.5 mg N/L) inhibited ClO4- reduction. The microbial community composition was found to change with ClO4- availability from a majority of Beta-Proteobacteria near the influent end of the reactor to primarily sulfur-oxidizing bacteria near the effluent end of the reactor.

Effects of meat juice on biofilm formation of Campylobacter and Salmonella.

Science.gov (United States)

Li, Jiaqi; Feng, Jinsong; Ma, Lina; de la Fuente Núñez, César; Gölz, Greta; Lu, Xiaonan

2017-07-17

Campylobacter and Salmonella are leading causes of foodborne illnesses worldwide, vastly harboured by raw meat as their common food reservoir. Both microbes are prevalent in meat processing environments in the form of biofilms that contribute to cross-contamination and foodborne infection. This study applied raw meat juice (chicken juice and pork juice) as a minimally processed food model to study its effects on bacterial biofilm formation. Meat juice was collected during the freeze-thaw process of raw meat and sterilized by filtration. In 96-well polystyrene plates and glass chambers, supplementation of over 25% meat juice (v/v) in laboratory media led to an increase in biofilm formation of Campylobacter and Salmonella. During the initial attachment stage of biofilm development, more bacterial cells were present on surfaces treated with meat juice residues compared to control surfaces. Meat juice particulates on abiotic surfaces facilitated biofilm formation of Campylobacter and Salmonella under both static and flow conditions, with the latter being assessed using a microfluidic platform. Further, the deficiency in biofilm formation of selected Campylobacter and Salmonella mutant strains was restored in the presence of meat juice particulates. These results suggested that meat juice residues on the abiotic surfaces might act as a surface conditioner to support initial attachment and biofilm formation of Campylobacter and Salmonella. This study sheds light on a possible survival mechanism of Campylobacter and Salmonella in meat processing environments, and indicates that thorough cleaning of meat residues during meat production and handling is critical to reduce the bacterial load of Campylobacter and Salmonella. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Benzene degradation in a denitrifying biofilm reactor : activity and microbial community composition

NARCIS (Netherlands)

van der Waals, Marcelle J.; Atashgahi, Siavash; da Rocha, Ulisses Nunes; van der Zaan, Bas M.; Smidt, Hauke; Gerritse, Jan

2017-01-01

Benzene is an aromatic compound and harmful for the environment. Biodegradation of benzene can reduce the toxicological risk after accidental or controlled release of this chemical in the environment. In this study, we further characterized an anaerobic continuous biofilm culture grown for more than

Initial charge reactor core

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kiyono, Takeshi

1984-01-01

Purpose: To effectivity burn fuels and improve the economical performance in an inital charge reactor core of BWR type reactors or the likes. Constitution: In a reactor core constituted with a plurality of fuel assemblies which are to be partially replaced upon fuel replacement, the density of the fissionable materials and the moderator - fuel ratio of a fuel assembly is set corresponding to the period till that fuel assembly is replaced, in which the density of the nuclear fissionable materials is lowered and the moderator - fuel ratio is increased for the fuel assembly with a shorter period from the fueling to the fuel exchange and, while on the other hand, the density of the fissionable materials is increased and the moderator - fuel ratio is decreased for the fuel assembly with a longer period from the fueling to the replacement. Accordingly, since the moderator - fuel ratio is increased for the fuel assembly to be replaced in a shorter period, the neutrons moderating effect is increased to increase the reactivity. (Horiuchi, T.)

Characterization of mixed-culture biofilms established in microbial fuel cells

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Yang, Suling; Du, Fangzhou; Liu, Hong

2012-01-01

For the successful operation of a microbial fuel cell, it is important to characterize the biofilm on the anode. The behavior of MFCs during initial biofilm growth and characterization of anodic biofilm were studied using two-chamber MFCs with activated sludge as inoculum. After three times' replacement of the anodic growth medium, the biofilms were well developed, and a maximum closed circuit potential of 0.41 V and 0.37 V (1000 Ω resistor) was achieved using acetate and glucose, respectively. Electron microscopy revealed that there were rod-shaped cells 0.2–0.3 μm wide by 1.5–2.5 μm long in the anode biofilm in the acetate-fed MFC, and these cells were mainly arranged by monolayer. The biofilm in the glucose-fed MFC was made of cocci-shaped cells in chains and a thick matrix. Both using acetate and glucose, the anodic bacterial communities were different than those of the activated sludge. Cyclic voltammograms suggested that extracellular electron transfer in these MFCs was accomplished mainly by the biofilms on the anode and not by bacteria-produced mediators. -- Highlights: ► The mixed-culture biofilms established in MFCs were characterized. ► The possible electron transfer mechanism was presented. ► In these MFCs the anodic area should be much larger.

Effect of sulfide concentration on the location of the metal precipitates in inversed fluidized bed reactors

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Villa-Gomez, D., E-mail: d.villagomez@unesco-ihe.org [Core Pollution Prevention and Control, UNESCO-IHE, Institute for Water Education, PO Box 3015, 2601 DA Delft (Netherlands); Ababneh, H.; Papirio, S.; Rousseau, D.P.L.; Lens, P.N.L. [Core Pollution Prevention and Control, UNESCO-IHE, Institute for Water Education, PO Box 3015, 2601 DA Delft (Netherlands)

2011-08-15

Highlights: {yields} Sulfide concentration governs the location of metal precipitates in sulfate reducing bioreactors. {yields} High dissolved sulfide induces metal precipitation in the bulk liquid as fines. {yields} Low dissolved sulfide concentrations yield local supersaturation and thus metal precipitation in the biofilm. -- Abstract: The effect of the sulfide concentration on the location of the metal precipitates within sulfate-reducing inversed fluidized bed (IFB) reactors was evaluated. Two mesophilic IFB reactors were operated for over 100 days at the same operational conditions, but with different chemical oxygen demand (COD) to SO{sub 4}{sup 2-} ratio (5 and 1, respectively). After a start up phase, 10 mg/L of Cu, Pb, Cd and Zn each were added to the influent. The sulfide concentration in one IFB reactor reached 648 mg/L, while it reached only 59 mg/L in the other one. In the high sulfide IFB reactor, the precipitated metals were mainly located in the bulk liquid (as fines), whereas in the low sulfide IFB reactor the metal preciptiates were mainly present in the biofilm. The latter can be explained by local supersaturation due to sulfide production in the biofilm. This paper demonstrates that the sulfide concentration needs to be controlled in sulfate reducing IFB reactors to steer the location of the metal precipitates for recovery.

A dual role of extracellular DNA during biofilm formation of Neisseria meningitidis

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Lappann, M.; Claus, H.; van Alen, T.

2010-01-01

formation, whereas biofilm formation of cc with low point prevalence (ST-8 cc and ST-11 cc) was eDNA-independent. For initial biofilm formation, a ST-32 cc type strain, but not a ST-11 type strain, utilized eDNA. The release of eDNA was mediated by lytic transglycosylase and cytoplasmic N......-acetylmuramyl-l-alanine amidase genes. In late biofilms, outer membrane phospholipase A-dependent autolysis, which was observed in most cc, but not in ST-8 and ST-11 strains, was required for shear force resistance of microcolonies. Taken together, N. meningitidis evolved two different biofilm formation strategies, an e....... On the contrary, spreaders (ST-11 and ST-8 cc) are unable to use eDNA for biofilm formation and might compensate for poor colonization properties by high transmission rates....

Extracellular polymeric substances affect the responses of multi-species biofilms in the presence of sulfamethizole.

Science.gov (United States)

Wang, Longfei; Li, Yi; Wang, Li; Zhang, Huanjun; Zhu, Mengjie; Zhang, Peisheng; Zhu, Xiaoxiao

2018-04-01

The occurrence and transportation of antibiotics in biofilms from natural and engineered sources have attracted increasing interests. Nevertheless, the effects of extracellular polymeric substances (EPS) on the responses of biofilms to the exposure to antibiotics are not clear. In this study, the effects of EPS on the sorption and biological responses to one representative antibiotic, sulfamethizole (STZ), in model biofilms were investigated. Proteins dominated the interactions between the EPS and the STZ and the EPS from a moving bed biofilm reactor exhibited the strongest interaction with the STZ. The EPS served as important reservoirs for the STZ and the tested biofilms all showed reduced sorption capacities for the STZ after the EPS were extracted. The respiratory rates and typical enzymatic activities were reduced after the EPS were extracted. High-throughput 16S rRNA gene sequencing results confirmed that the bacterial community in the biofilm without the EPS was more vulnerable to antibiotic shock as indicated by the community diversity and richness indices. A greater increase in the abundance of susceptible species was observed in the natural biofilm. The results comprehensively suggested that the EPS played important role in biosorption of STZ and alleviated the direct damage of the antibiotic to the cells; in addition the extent of the bacterial community response was associated with the origins of the biofilms. Our study provided details on the responses of multi-species biofilms to the exposure to an antibiotic and highlighted the role of the EPS in interacting with the antibiotic, thereby providing a deeper understanding of the bioremediation of antibiotics in real-life natural and engineered biofilm systems. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

In situ non-destructive measurement of biofilm thickness and topology in an interferometric optical microscope.

Science.gov (United States)

Larimer, Curtis; Suter, Jonathan D; Bonheyo, George; Addleman, Raymond Shane

2016-06-01

Biofilms are ubiquitous and impact the environment, human health, dental hygiene, and a wide range of industrial processes. Biofilms are difficult to characterize when fully hydrated, especially in a non-destructive manner, because of their soft structure and water-like bulk properties. Herein a method of measuring and monitoring the thickness and topology of live biofilms of using white light interferometry is described. Using this technique, surface morphology, surface roughness, and biofilm thickness were measured over time without while the biofilm continued to grow. The thickness and surface topology of a P. putida biofilm were monitored growing from initial colonization to a mature biofilm. Measured thickness followed expected trends for bacterial growth. Surface roughness also increased over time and was a leading indicator of biofilm growth. © 2016 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

Pseudomonas aeruginosa Biofilm Infections

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Rybtke, Morten; Hultqvist, Louise Dahl; Givskov, Michael

2015-01-01

Studies of biopsies from infectious sites, explanted tissue and medical devises have provided evidence that biofilms are the underlying cause of a variety of tissue-associated and implant-associated recalcitrant human infections. With a need for novel anti-biofilm treatment strategies, research...... in biofilm infection microbiology, biofilm formation mechanisms and biofilm-associated antimicrobial tolerance has become an important area in microbiology. Substantial knowledge about biofilm formation mechanisms, biofilm-associated antimicrobial tolerance and immune evasion mechanisms has been obtained...... through work with biofilms grown in in vitro experimental setups, and the relevance of this information in the context of chronic infections is being investigated by the use of animal models of infection. Because our current in vitro experimental setups and animal models have limitations, new advanced...

Role of multicellular aggregates in biofilm formation

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Kragh, Kasper N.; Hutchison, Jaime B.; Melaugh, Gavin

2016-01-01

In traditional models of in vitro biofilm development, individual bacterial cells seed a surface, multiply, and mature into multicellular, three-dimensional structures. Much research has been devoted to elucidating the mechanisms governing the initial attachment of single cells to surfaces. Howev...

Engineered catalytic biofilms for continuous large scale production of n-octanol and (S)-styrene oxide.

Science.gov (United States)

Gross, Rainer; Buehler, Katja; Schmid, Andreas

2013-02-01

This study evaluates the technical feasibility of biofilm-based biotransformations at an industrial scale by theoretically designing a process employing membrane fiber modules as being used in the chemical industry and compares the respective process parameters to classical stirred-tank studies. To our knowledge, catalytic biofilm processes for fine chemicals production have so far not been reported on a technical scale. As model reactions, we applied the previously studied asymmetric styrene epoxidation employing Pseudomonas sp. strain VLB120ΔC biofilms and the here-described selective alkane hydroxylation. Using the non-heme iron containing alkane hydroxylase system (AlkBGT) from P. putida Gpo1 in the recombinant P. putida PpS81 pBT10 biofilm, we were able to continuously produce 1-octanol from octane with a maximal productivity of 1.3 g L ⁻¹(aq) day⁻¹ in a single tube micro reactor. For a possible industrial application, a cylindrical membrane fiber module packed with 84,000 polypropylene fibers is proposed. Based on the here presented calculations, 59 membrane fiber modules (of 0.9 m diameter and 2 m length) would be feasible to realize a production process of 1,000 tons/year for styrene oxide. Moreover, the product yield on carbon can at least be doubled and over 400-fold less biomass waste would be generated compared to classical stirred-tank reactor processes. For the octanol process, instead, further intensification in biological activity and/or surface membrane enlargement is required to reach production scale. By taking into consideration challenges such as biomass growth control and maintaining a constant biological activity, this study shows that a biofilm process at an industrial scale for the production of fine chemicals is a sustainable alternative in terms of product yield and biomass waste production. Copyright © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Assessment of Aspergillus niger biofilm growth kinetics in ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Jane

2011-10-12

Oct 12, 2011 ... other hand, A. niger biofilm growth followed a logistic model having higher maximal specific growth rate than ...... Growth estimation of Aspergillus oryzae cultured on ... Initial intracellular proteome profile of Aspergillus niger.

Anti-biofilm activity: a function of Klebsiella pneumoniae capsular polysaccharide.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Marina Dos Santos Goncalves

Full Text Available Competition and cooperation phenomena occur within highly interactive biofilm communities and several non-biocides molecules produced by microorganisms have been described as impairing biofilm formation. In this study, we investigated the anti-biofilm capacities of an ubiquitous and biofilm producing bacterium, Klebsiella pneumoniae. Cell-free supernatant from K. pneumoniae planktonic cultures showed anti-biofilm effects on most Gram positive bacteria tested but also encompassed some Gram negative bacilli. The anti-biofilm non-bactericidal activity was further investigated on Staphylococcus epidermidis, by determining the biofilm biomass, microscopic observations and agglutination measurement through a magnetic bead-mediated agglutination test. Cell-free extracts from K. pneumoniae biofilm (supernatant and acellular matrix also showed an influence, although to a lesser extend. Chemical analyses indicated that the active molecule was a high molecular weight polysaccharide composed of five monosaccharides: galactose, glucose, rhamnose, glucuronic acid and glucosamine and the main following sugar linkage residues [→ 2-α-L-Rhap-(1 →]; [→ 4-α-L-Rhap-(1 →]; [α-D-Galp-(1 →]; [→ 2,3-α-D-Galp-(1 →]; [→ 3-β-D-Galp-(1 →] and, [→ 4-β-D-GlcAp-(1 →]. Characterization of this molecule indicated that this component was more likely capsular polysaccharide (CPS and precoating of abiotic surfaces with CPS extracts from different serotypes impaired the bacteria-surface interactions. Thus the CPS of Klebsiella would exhibit a pleiotropic activity during biofilm formation, both stimulating the initial adhesion and maturation steps as previously described, but also repelling potential competitors.

Initial value problem for the equations of reactor kinetics

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kyncl, J.

1987-08-01

The initial value problem for the equations of reactor kinetics is solved while taking temperature feedback into account. The space where the problem is solved is chosen such as to correspond to the mathematical properties of cross-section models. The local solution is found by the iterative method, its uniqueness is proved and it is also shown that the existence of global solution is ensured in most cases. Finally, the problem of a weak solution is discussed. (author). 5 refs

Corrosion fatigue initiation and short crack growth behaviour of austenitic stainless steels under light water reactor conditions

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Seifert, H.P.; Ritter, S.; Leber, H.J.

2012-01-01

Highlights: ► Corrosion fatigue in austenitic stainless steels under light water reactor conditions. ► Identification of major parameters of influence on initiation and short crack growth. ► Critical system conditions for environmental reduction of fatigue initiation life. ► Comparison with the environmental factor (F env ) approach. - Abstract: The corrosion fatigue initiation and short crack growth behaviour of different wrought low-carbon and stabilised austenitic stainless steels was characterised under simulated boiling water reactor and pressurised water reactor primary water conditions by cyclic fatigue tests with sharply notched fracture mechanics specimens. The special emphasis was placed to the behaviour at low corrosion potentials and, in particular, to hydrogen water chemistry conditions. The major parameter effects and critical conjoint threshold conditions, which result in relevant environmental reduction and acceleration of fatigue initiation life and subsequent short crack growth, respectively, are discussed and summarised. The observed corrosion fatigue behaviour is compared with the fatigue evaluation procedures in codes and regulatory guidelines.

Sampling natural biofilms: a new route to build efficient microbial anodes.

Science.gov (United States)

Erable, Benjamin; Roncato, Marie-Anne; Achouak, Wafa; Bergel, Alain

2009-05-01

Electrochemically active biofilms were constructed on graphite anodes under constant polarization at -0.1V vs saturated calomel reference (SCE) with 10 mM acetate as substrate. The reactors were inoculated with three different microbial samples that were drawn from exactly the same place in a French Atlantic coastal port (i) by scraping the biofilm that had formed naturally on the surface of a floating bridge, (ii) by taking marine sediments just under the floating bridge, and (iii) by taking nearby beach sand. Current densities of 2.0 A/m2 were reached using the biofilm sample as inoculum while only 0.4 A/m2 and 0.8 A/m2 were obtained using the underlying sediments and the beach sand, respectively. The structure of bacterial communities forming biofilms was characterized by denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis (DGGE) analysis, and revealed differences between samples with the increase in relative intensities of some bands and the appearance of others. Bacteria close related to Bacteroidetes, Halomonas, and Marinobacterium were retrieved only from the efficient EA-biofilms formed from natural biofilms, whereas, bacteria close related to Mesoflavibacter were predominant on biofilm formed from sediments. The marine biofilm was selected as the inoculum to further optimize the microbial anode. Epifluorescence microscopy and SEM confirmed that maintaining the electrode under constant polarization promoted rapid settlement of the electrode surface by a bacterial monolayer film. The microbial anode was progressively adapted to the consumption of acetate by three serial additions of substrate, thus improving the Coulombic efficiency of acetate consumption from 31 to 89%. The possible oxidation of sulfide played only a very small part in the current production and the biofilm was not able to oxidize hydrogen. Graphite proved to be more efficient than dimensionally stable anode (DSA) or stainless steel butthis result might be due to differences in the surface roughness

Preventive effects of a phospholipid polymer coating on PMMA on biofilm formation by oral streptococci

Science.gov (United States)

Shibata, Yukie; Yamashita, Yoshihisa; Tsuru, Kanji; Ishihara, Kazuhiko; Fukazawa, Kyoko; Ishikawa, Kunio

2016-12-01

The regulation of biofilm formation on dental materials such as denture bases is key to oral health. Recently, a biocompatible phospholipid polymer, poly(2-methacryloyloxyethyl phosphorylcholine-co-n-butyl methacrylate) (PMB) coating, was reported to inhibit sucrose-dependent biofilm formation by Streptococcus mutans, a cariogenic bacterium, on the surface of poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA) denture bases. However, S. mutans is a minor component of the oral microbiome and does not play an important role in biofilm formation in the absence of sucrose. Other, more predominant oral streptococci must play an indispensable role in sucrose-independent biofilm formation. In the present study, the effect of PMB coating on PMMA was evaluated using various oral streptococci that are known to be initial colonizers during biofilm formation on tooth surfaces. PMB coating on PMMA drastically reduced sucrose-dependent tight biofilm formation by two cariogenic bacteria (S. mutans and Streptococcus sobrinus), among seven tested oral streptococci, as described previously [N. Takahashi, F. Iwasa, Y. Inoue, H. Morisaki, K. Ishihara, K. Baba, J. Prosthet. Dent. 112 (2014) 194-203]. Streptococci other than S. mutans and S. sobrinus did not exhibit tight biofilm formation even in the presence of sucrose. On the other hand, all seven species of oral streptococci exhibited distinctly reduced glucose-dependent soft biofilm retention on PMB-coated PMMA. We conclude that PMB coating on PMMA surfaces inhibits biofilm attachment by initial colonizer oral streptococci, even in the absence of sucrose, indicating that PMB coating may help maintain clean conditions on PMMA surfaces in the oral cavity.

[Detection of biofilm formation by selected pathogens relevant to the food industry].

Science.gov (United States)

Šilhová-Hrušková, L; Moťková, P; Šilha, D; Vytřasová, J

2015-09-01

Detection of biofilm formation by microbial pathogens relevant to the food industry and comparison of biofilm formation under different conditions of culture. The following microorganisms were selected for the study: Staphylococcus aureus, Listeria innocua, Listeria ivanovii, Cronobacter sakazakii, Cronobacter muytjensii, Arcobacter butzleri, Arcobacter cryaerophilus, Campylobacter jejuni, and Campylobacter coli. To detect biofilm formation the microtiter plate assay, as described by Christensen and culture on stainless steel coupons were used. The biofilm forming capacity was confirmed in all microorganisms tested, both on the microtiter plates and stainless steel coupons. Biofilm formation was influenced by the culture medium, material used, and culture duration as well as by the test microorganism. It was found that different species and strains of the same genus differ in biofilm formation. Differences were also found between the collection strains and isolates from the environment. Some bacteria tended to form biofilm more readily on the surface of the polyethylene microtiter plates and less readily on stainless steel coupons while others appeared to have an opposite tendency. Some pathogens were able to increase the planktonic cell density in the initial suspension even by three orders of magnitude within 72 hours while producing plenty of biofilm. The study of biofilm formation by high risk pathogens is of utmost importance, not only to the food industry. From the obtained results, it is evident that bacterial biofilms form rapidly (within 24 hours in the present study). Due to their architecture, these biofilms are difficult to eradicate, and therefore, it is crucial to prevent biofilm formation.

Bacillus subtilis biofilm development in the presence of soil clay minerals and iron oxides.

Science.gov (United States)

Ma, Wenting; Peng, Donghai; Walker, Sharon L; Cao, Bin; Gao, Chun-Hui; Huang, Qiaoyun; Cai, Peng

2017-01-01

Clay minerals and metal oxides, as important parts of the soil matrix, play crucial roles in the development of microbial communities. However, the mechanism underlying such a process, particularly on the formation of soil biofilm, remains poorly understood. Here, we investigated the effects of montmorillonite, kaolinite, and goethite on the biofilm formation of the representative soil bacteria Bacillus subtilis . The bacterial biofilm formation in goethite was found to be impaired in the initial 24 h but burst at 48 h in the liquid-air interface. Confocal laser scanning microscopy showed that the biofilm biomass in goethite was 3-16 times that of the control, montmorillonite, and kaolinite at 48 h. Live/Dead staining showed that cells had the highest death rate of 60% after 4 h of contact with goethite, followed by kaolinite and montmorillonite. Atomic force microscopy showed that the interaction between goethite and bacteria may injure bacterial cells by puncturing cell wall, leading to the swarming of bacteria toward the liquid-air interface. Additionally, the expressions of abrB and sinR , key players in regulating the biofilm formation, were upregulated at 24 h and downregulated at 48 h in goethite, indicating the initial adaptation of the cells to minerals. A model was proposed to describe the effects of goethite on the biofilm formation. Our findings may facilitate a better understanding of the roles of soil clays in biofilm development and the manipulation of bacterial compositions through controlling the biofilm in soils.

Aspergillus niger biofilms for celulasas production: some structural and physiological aspects

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Gretty K. Villena

2013-06-01

Full Text Available Aspergillus niger biofilms developed on polyester cloth were evaluated considering two aspects related to the growth on surfaces: structure and physiological behavior focused on cellulase production. The biofilm structure was assessed by using electron scanning microphotographs from inoculation and adsorption to 120 h growth. The microphotographs show that biofilm formation can be divided into three phases: 1 Adhesion, which is strongly increased by Aspergillus spore hydrophobicity; 2 Initial growth and development phase from spore germination, that begins 4 to 10 h after inoculation and continues up to 24 h when almost all available surface has been colonized; 3 Maturation phase in which biomass density is highly increased from 48 h after inoculation until 120 h growth when an internal channel organization that assures medium flow through biofilm is clearly evident as it is frequently reported for bacterial biofilms.Biofilm cellulolytic enzyme activity and productivity were also evaluated, being up to 40% and 55%, respectively, higher than that attained by freely suspended cultures. These results are in agreement with the behavior of most surface living microorganisms, which generally show a higher metabolic activity because of a differential gene expression. This work is a first attempt to understand the structure and physiology of industrial filamentous fungal biofilms as a response to the scarce available information in comparison with the vast and detailed information related to bacterial and pathogenic yeast biofilms.

Improvement of poly-γ-glutamic acid biosynthesis in a moving bed biofilm reactor by Bacillus subtilis NX-2.

Science.gov (United States)

Jiang, Yongxiang; Tang, Bao; Xu, Zongqi; Liu, Kun; Xu, Zheng; Feng, Xiaohai; Xu, Hong

2016-10-01

The production of poly-γ-glutamic acid (γ-PGA) by Bacillus subtilis NX-2 using a moving bed biofilm reactor (MBBR) system was tested for the first time in this study. Polypropylene TL-2 was chosen as a suitable carrier, and γ-PGA concentration of 42.7±0.86g/L and productivity of 0.59±0.06g/(Lh) were obtained in batch fermentation. After application of the strategy of dissolved oxygen (DO)-stat feeding, higher γ-PGA concentration and productivity were achieved than with glucose feedback feeding. Finally, the repeated fed-batch cultures implemented in the MBBR system showed high stability, and the maximal γ-PGA concentration and productivity of 74.2g/L and 1.24g/(Lh) were achieved, respectively. In addition, the promotion of oxygen transfer by an MBBR carrier was well explained by a computational fluid dynamics (CFD) simulation. These results suggest that an MBBR system could be applied to large-scale γ-PGA production. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

The development on the methodology of the initiating event frequencies for liquid metal reactor KALIMER

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Jeong, K. S.; Yang, Z. A.; Ah, Y. B.; Jang, W. P.; Jeong, H. Y.; Ha, K. S.; Han, D. H.

2002-01-01

In this paper, the PSA methodology of PRISM,Light Water Reactor, Pressurized Heavy Water Reactor are analyzed and the methodology of Initiating Events for KALIMER are suggested. Also,the reliability assessment of assumptions for Pipes Corrosion Frequency is set up. The reliability assessment of Passive Safety System, one of Main Safety System of KALIMER, are discussed and analyzed

Artificial biofilms establish the role of matrix interactions in staphylococcal biofilm assembly and disassembly

Science.gov (United States)

Stewart, Elizabeth J.; Ganesan, Mahesh; Younger, John G.; Solomon, Michael J.

2015-01-01

We demonstrate that the microstructural and mechanical properties of bacterial biofilms can be created through colloidal self-assembly of cells and polymers, and thereby link the complex material properties of biofilms to well understood colloidal and polymeric behaviors. This finding is applied to soften and disassemble staphylococcal biofilms through pH changes. Bacterial biofilms are viscoelastic, structured communities of cells encapsulated in an extracellular polymeric substance (EPS) comprised of polysaccharides, proteins, and DNA. Although the identity and abundance of EPS macromolecules are known, how these matrix materials interact with themselves and bacterial cells to generate biofilm morphology and mechanics is not understood. Here, we find that the colloidal self-assembly of Staphylococcus epidermidis RP62A cells and polysaccharides into viscoelastic biofilms is driven by thermodynamic phase instability of EPS. pH conditions that induce phase instability of chitosan produce artificial S. epidermidis biofilms whose mechanics match natural S. epidermidis biofilms. Furthermore, pH-induced solubilization of the matrix triggers disassembly in both artificial and natural S. epidermidis biofilms. This pH-induced disassembly occurs in biofilms formed by five additional staphylococcal strains, including three clinical isolates. Our findings suggest that colloidal self-assembly of cells and matrix polymers produces biofilm viscoelasticity and that biofilm control strategies can exploit this mechanism. PMID:26272750

Cyanuric acid biodegradation by a mixed bacterial culture of Agrobacterium tumefaciens and Acinetobacter sp. in a packed bed biofilm reactor.

Science.gov (United States)

Galíndez-Nájera, S P; Llamas-Martínez, M A; Ruiz-Ordaz, N; Juárez-Ramírez, C; Mondragón-Parada, M E; Ahuatzi-Chacón, D; Galíndez-Mayer, J

2009-02-01

Cyanuric acid (1,3,5-triazine-2,4,6-triol [OOOT]) is a common biodegradation byproduct of triazinic herbicides, frequently accumulated in soils or water when supplementary carbon sources are absent. A binary bacterial culture able to degrade OOOT was selected through a continuous selection process accomplished in a chemostat fed with a mineral salt (MS) medium containing cyanuric acid as the sole carbon and nitrogen source. By sequence comparison of their 16S rDNA amplicons, bacterial strains were identified as Agrobacterium tumefaciens, and Acinetobacter sp. When the binary culture immobilized in a packed bed reactor (PBR) was fed with MS medium containing OOOT (50 mg L(-1)), its removal efficiencies were about 95%; when it was fed with OOOT plus glucose (120 mg L(-1)) as a supplementary carbon source, its removal efficiencies were closer to 100%. From sessile cells, attached to PBR porous support, or free cells present in the outflowing medium, DNA was extracted and used for Random Amplification of Polymorphic DNA analysis. Electrophoretic patterns obtained were compared to those of pure bacterial strains, a clear predominance of A. tumefaciens in PBR was observed. Although in continuous suspended cell culture, a stable binary community could be maintained, the attachment capability of A. tumefaciens represented a selective advantage over Acinetobacter sp. in the biofilm reactor, favoring its predominance in the porous stone support.

Bacterial Extracellular Polysaccharides Involved in Biofilm Formation

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Elena P. Ivanova

2009-07-01

Full Text Available Extracellular polymeric substances (EPS produced by microorganisms are a complex mixture of biopolymers primarily consisting of polysaccharides, as well as proteins, nucleic acids, lipids and humic substances. EPS make up the intercellular space of microbial aggregates and form the structure and architecture of the biofilm matrix. The key functions of EPS comprise the mediation of the initial attachment of cells to different substrata and protection against environmental stress and dehydration. The aim of this review is to present a summary of the current status of the research into the role of EPS in bacterial attachment followed by biofilm formation. The latter has a profound impact on an array of biomedical, biotechnology and industrial fields including pharmaceutical and surgical applications, food engineering, bioremediation and biohydrometallurgy. The diverse structural variations of EPS produced by bacteria of different taxonomic lineages, together with examples of biotechnological applications, are discussed. Finally, a range of novel techniques that can be used in studies involving biofilm-specific polysaccharides is discussed.

Antibiofilm activity of carboxymethyl chitosan on the biofilms of non-Candida albicans Candida species.

Science.gov (United States)

Tan, Yulong; Leonhard, Matthias; Moser, Doris; Schneider-Stickler, Berit

2016-09-20

Although most cases of candidiasis have been attributed to Candida albicans, non-C. albicans Candida species have been isolated in increasing numbers in patients. In this study, we determined the inhibition of carboxymethyl chitosan (CM-chitosan) on single and mixed species biofilm of non-albicans Candida species, including Candida tropicalis, Candida parapsilosis, Candida krusei and Candida glabrata. Biofilm by all tested species in microtiter plates were inhibited nearly 70%. CM-chitosan inhibited mixed species biofilm in microtiter plates and also on medical materials surfaces. To investigate the mechanism, the effect of CM-chitosan on cell viability and biofilm growth was employed. CM-chitosan inhibited Candida planktonic growth as well as adhesion. Further biofilm formation was inhibited with CM-chitosan added at 90min, 12h or 24h after biofilm initiation. CM-chitosan was not only able to inhibit the metabolic activity of Candida cells, but was also active upon the establishment and the development of biofilms. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

The virulence regulator PrfA promotes biofilm formation by Listeria monocytogenes.

Science.gov (United States)

Lemon, Katherine P; Freitag, Nancy E; Kolter, Roberto

2010-08-01

Listeria monocytogenes is a food-borne facultative intracellular pathogen. It is widespread in the environment and has several distinct life-styles. The key transcriptional activator PrfA positively regulates L. monocytogenes virulence genes to mediate the transition from extracellular, flagellum-propelled cell to intracellular pathogen. Here we report the first evidence that PrfA also has a significant positive impact on extracellular biofilm formation. Mutants lacking prfA were defective in surface-adhered biofilm formation. The DeltaprfA mutant exhibited wild-type flagellar motility, and its biofilm defect occurred after initial surface adhesion. We also observed that mutations that led to the constitutive expression of PrfA-dependent virulence genes had a minimal impact on biofilm formation. Furthermore, biofilm development was enhanced in a mutant encoding a PrfA protein variant unable to fully transition from the extracellular form to the virulent, intracellular activity conformation. These results indicate that PrfA positively regulates biofilm formation and suggest that PrfA has a global role in modulating the life-style of L. monocytogenes. The requirement of PrfA for optimal biofilm formation may provide selective pressure to maintain this critical virulence regulator when L. monocytogenes is outside host cells in the environment.

Small changes in Cu redox state and speciation generate large isotope fractionation during adsorption and incorporation of Cu by a phototrophic biofilm

Science.gov (United States)

Coutaud, Margot; Méheut, Merlin; Glatzel, Pieter; Pokrovski, Gleb S.; Viers, Jérôme; Rols, Jean-Luc; Pokrovsky, Oleg S.

2018-01-01

Despite the importance of phototrophic biofilms in metal cycling in freshwater systems, metal isotope fractionation linked to metal adsorption and uptake by biofilm remains very poorly constrained. Here, copper isotope fractionation by a mature phototrophic biofilm during Cu surface adsorption and incorporation was studied in batch reactor (BR) and open drip flow reactor (DFR) systems at ambient conditions. X-ray Absorption Spectroscopy (both Near Edge Structure, XANES, and Extended Fine Structure, EXAFS) at Cu K-edge of the biofilm after its interaction with Cu in BR experiments allowed characterizing the molecular structure of assimilated Cu and quantifying the degree of CuII to CuI reduction linked to Cu assimilation. For both BR and DFR experiments, Cu adsorption caused enrichment in heavy isotope at the surface of the biofilm relative to the aqueous solution, with an apparent enrichment factor for the adsorption process, ε65Cuads, of +1.1 ± 0.3‰. In contrast, the isotope enrichment factor during copper incorporation into the biofilm (ε65Cuinc) was highly variable, ranging from -0.6 to +0.8‰. This variability of the ε65Cuinc value was likely controlled by Cu cellular uptake via different transport pathways resulting in contrasting fractionation. Specifically, the CuII storage induced enrichment in heavy isotope, whereas the toxicity response of the biofilm to Cu exposure resulted in reduction of CuII to CuI, thus yielding the biofilm enrichment in light isotope. EXAFS analyses suggested that a major part of the Cu assimilated by the biofilm is bound to 5.1 ± 0.3 oxygen or nitrogen atoms, with a small proportion of Cu linked to sulfur atoms (NS biofilm exhibited a similar trend over time of exposure. Our study demonstrates the complexity of biological processes associated with live phototrophic biofilms, which produce large and contrasting isotope fractionations following rather small Cu redox and speciation changes during uptake, storage or release of

Hydraulic resistance of biofilms

KAUST Repository

Dreszer, C.

2013-02-01

Biofilms may interfere with membrane performance in at least three ways: (i) increase of the transmembrane pressure drop, (ii) increase of feed channel (feed-concentrate) pressure drop, and (iii) increase of transmembrane passage. Given the relevance of biofouling, it is surprising how few data exist about the hydraulic resistance of biofilms that may affect the transmembrane pressure drop and membrane passage. In this study, biofilms were generated in a lab scale cross flow microfiltration system at two fluxes (20 and 100Lm-2h-1) and constant cross flow (0.1ms-1). As a nutrient source, acetate was added (1.0mgL-1 acetate C) besides a control without nutrient supply. A microfiltration (MF) membrane was chosen because the MF membrane resistance is very low compared to the expected biofilm resistance and, thus, biofilm resistance can be determined accurately. Transmembrane pressure drop was monitored. As biofilm parameters, thickness, total cell number, TOC, and extracellular polymeric substances (EPS) were determined, it was demonstrated that no internal membrane fouling occurred and that the fouling layer actually consisted of a grown biofilm and was not a filter cake of accumulated bacterial cells. At 20Lm-2h-1 flux with a nutrient dosage of 1mgL-1 acetate C, the resistance after 4 days reached a value of 6×1012m-1. At 100Lm-2h-1 flux under the same conditions, the resistance was 5×1013m-1. No correlation of biofilm resistance to biofilm thickness was found; Biofilms with similar thickness could have different resistance depending on the applied flux. The cell number in biofilms was between 4×107 and 5×108 cellscm-2. At this number, bacterial cells make up less than a half percent of the overall biofilm volume and therefore did not hamper the water flow through the biofilm significantly. A flux of 100Lm-2h-1 with nutrient supply caused higher cell numbers, more biomass, and higher biofilm resistance than a flux of 20Lm-2h-1. However, the biofilm thickness

Selective labelling and eradication of antibiotic-tolerant bacterial populations in Pseudomonas aeruginosa biofilms

Science.gov (United States)

Chua, Song Lin; Yam, Joey Kuok Hoong; Hao, Piliang; Adav, Sunil S.; Salido, May Margarette; Liu, Yang; Givskov, Michael; Sze, Siu Kwan; Tolker-Nielsen, Tim; Yang, Liang

2016-01-01

Drug resistance and tolerance greatly diminish the therapeutic potential of antibiotics against pathogens. Antibiotic tolerance by bacterial biofilms often leads to persistent infections, but its mechanisms are unclear. Here we use a proteomics approach, pulsed stable isotope labelling with amino acids (pulsed-SILAC), to quantify newly expressed proteins in colistin-tolerant subpopulations of Pseudomonas aeruginosa biofilms (colistin is a ‘last-resort' antibiotic against multidrug-resistant Gram-negative pathogens). Migration is essential for the formation of colistin-tolerant biofilm subpopulations, with colistin-tolerant cells using type IV pili to migrate onto the top of the colistin-killed biofilm. The colistin-tolerant cells employ quorum sensing (QS) to initiate the formation of new colistin-tolerant subpopulations, highlighting multicellular behaviour in antibiotic tolerance development. The macrolide erythromycin, which has been previously shown to inhibit the motility and QS of P. aeruginosa, boosts biofilm eradication by colistin. Our work provides insights on the mechanisms underlying the formation of antibiotic-tolerant populations in bacterial biofilms and indicates research avenues for designing more efficient treatments against biofilm-associated infections. PMID:26892159

Selective labelling and eradication of antibiotic-tolerant bacterial populations in Pseudomonas aeruginosa biofilms.

Science.gov (United States)

Chua, Song Lin; Yam, Joey Kuok Hoong; Hao, Piliang; Adav, Sunil S; Salido, May Margarette; Liu, Yang; Givskov, Michael; Sze, Siu Kwan; Tolker-Nielsen, Tim; Yang, Liang

2016-02-19

Drug resistance and tolerance greatly diminish the therapeutic potential of antibiotics against pathogens. Antibiotic tolerance by bacterial biofilms often leads to persistent infections, but its mechanisms are unclear. Here we use a proteomics approach, pulsed stable isotope labelling with amino acids (pulsed-SILAC), to quantify newly expressed proteins in colistin-tolerant subpopulations of Pseudomonas aeruginosa biofilms (colistin is a 'last-resort' antibiotic against multidrug-resistant Gram-negative pathogens). Migration is essential for the formation of colistin-tolerant biofilm subpopulations, with colistin-tolerant cells using type IV pili to migrate onto the top of the colistin-killed biofilm. The colistin-tolerant cells employ quorum sensing (QS) to initiate the formation of new colistin-tolerant subpopulations, highlighting multicellular behaviour in antibiotic tolerance development. The macrolide erythromycin, which has been previously shown to inhibit the motility and QS of P. aeruginosa, boosts biofilm eradication by colistin. Our work provides insights on the mechanisms underlying the formation of antibiotic-tolerant populations in bacterial biofilms and indicates research avenues for designing more efficient treatments against biofilm-associated infections.

Wastewater treatment in a hybrid activated sludge baffled reactor

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Tizghadam, Mostafa [Laboratoire des Sciences de l' Eau et de l' Environnement, Universite de Limoges, ENSIL, Parc ESTER, 16 Rue Atlantis, F-87068 Limoges Cedex (France); Dagot, Christophe [Laboratoire des Sciences de l' Eau et de l' Environnement, Universite de Limoges, ENSIL, Parc ESTER, 16 Rue Atlantis, F-87068 Limoges Cedex (France)], E-mail: dagot@ensil.unilim.fr; Baudu, Michel [Laboratoire des Sciences de l' Eau et de l' Environnement, Universite de Limoges, ENSIL, Parc ESTER, 16 Rue Atlantis, F-87068 Limoges Cedex (France)

2008-06-15

A novel hybrid activated sludge baffled reactor (HASBR), which contained both suspended and attached-growth biomass perfect mixing cells in series, was developed by installing standing and hanging baffles and introducing plastic brushes into a conventional activated sludge (CAS) reactor. It was used for the treatment of domestic wastewater. The effects on the operational performance of developing the suspended and attached-growth biomass and reactor configuration were investigated. The change of the flow regime from complete-mix to plug-flow, and the addition of plastic brushes as a support for biofilm, resulted in considerable improvements in the COD, nitrogen removal efficiency of domestic wastewater and sludge settling properties. In steady state, approximately 98 {+-} 2% of the total COD and 98 {+-} 2% of the ammonia of the influent were removed in the HASBR, when the influent wastewater concentration was 593 {+-} 11 mg COD/L and 43 {+-} 5 mg N/L, respectively, at a HRT of 10 h. These results were 93 {+-} 3 and 6 {+-} 3% for the CAS reactor, respectively. Approximately 90 {+-} 7% of the total COD was removed in the HASBR, when the influent wastewater concentration was 654 {+-} 16 mg COD/L at a 3 h HRT, and in the organic loading rate (OLR) of 5.36 kg COD m{sup -3} day{sup -1}. The result for the CAS reactor was 60 {+-} 3%. Existing CAS plants can be upgraded by changing the reactor configuration and introducing biofilm support media into the aeration tank.

Antibiotic resistance in Pseudomonas aeruginosa biofilms: towards the development of novel anti-biofilm therapies.

Science.gov (United States)

Taylor, Patrick K; Yeung, Amy T Y; Hancock, Robert E W

2014-12-10

The growth of bacteria as structured aggregates termed biofilms leads to their protection from harsh environmental conditions such as physical and chemical stresses, shearing forces, and limited nutrient availability. Because of this highly adapted ability to survive adverse environmental conditions, bacterial biofilms are recalcitrant to antibiotic therapies and immune clearance. This is particularly problematic in hospital settings where biofilms are a frequent cause of chronic and device-related infections and constitute a significant burden on the health-care system. The major therapeutic strategy against infections is the use of antibiotics, which, due to adaptive resistance, are often insufficient to clear biofilm infections. Thus, novel biofilm-specific therapies are required. Specific features of biofilm development, such as surface adherence, extracellular matrix formation, quorum sensing, and highly regulated biofilm maturation and dispersal are currently being studied as targets to be exploited in the development of novel biofilm-specific treatments. Using Pseudomonas aeruginosa for illustrative purposes, this review highlights the antibiotic resistance mechanisms of biofilms, and discusses current research into novel biofilm-specific therapies. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Survival of Mycobacterium avium in drinking water biofilms as affected by water flow velocity, availability of phosphorus, and temperature.

Science.gov (United States)

Torvinen, Eila; Lehtola, Markku J; Martikainen, Pertti J; Miettinen, Ilkka T

2007-10-01

Mycobacterium avium is a potential pathogen occurring in drinking water systems. It is a slowly growing bacterium producing a thick cell wall containing mycolic acids, and it is known to resist chlorine better than many other microbes. Several studies have shown that pathogenic bacteria survive better in biofilms than in water. By using Propella biofilm reactors, we studied how factors generally influencing the growth of biofilms (flow rate, phosphorus concentration, and temperature) influence the survival of M. avium in drinking water biofilms. The growth of biofilms was followed by culture and DAPI (4',6'-diamidino-2-phenylindole) staining, and concentrations of M. avium were determined by culture and fluorescence in situ hybridization methods. The spiked M. avium survived in biofilms for the 4-week study period without a dramatic decline in concentration. The addition of phosphorus (10 microg/liter) increased the number of heterotrophic bacteria in biofilms but decreased the culturability of M. avium. The reason for this result is probably that phosphorus increased competition with other microbes. An increase in flow velocity had no effect on the survival of M. avium, although it increased the growth of biofilms. A higher temperature (20 degrees C versus 7 degrees C) increased both the number of heterotrophic bacteria and the survival of M. avium in biofilms. In conclusion, the results show that in terms of affecting the survival of slowly growing M. avium in biofilms, temperature is a more important factor than the availability of nutrients like phosphorus.

The Biofilm Challenge

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Alhede, Maria; Alhede, Morten

2014-01-01

The concept of biofilms has emerged in the clinical setting during the last decade. Infections involving biofilms have been documented in all parts of the human body, and it is currently believed that the presence of biofilm-forming bacteria is equivalent to chronic infection. A quick Pubmed search...

Manipulatiaon of Biofilm Microbial Ecology

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Burkhalter, R.; Macnaughton, S.J.; Palmer, R.J.; Smith, C.A.; Whitaker, K.W.; White, D.C.; Zinn, M.; kirkegaard, R.

1998-08-09

The Biofilm mode of growth provides such significant advantages to the members of the consortium that most organisms in important habitats are found in biofilms. The study of factors that allow manipulation of biofilm microbes in the biofilm growth state requires that reproducible biofilms by generated. The most effective monitoring of biofilm formation, succession and desquamation is with on-line monitoring of microbial biofilms with flowcell for direct observation. The biofilm growth state incorporates a second important factor, the heterogeneity in the distribution in time and space of the component members of the biofilm consortium. This heterogeneity is reflected not only in the cellular distribution but in the metabolic activity within a population of cells. Activity and cellular distribution can be mapped in four dimensions with confocal microscopy, and function can be ascertained by genetically manipulated reporter functions for specific genes or by vital stains. The methodology for understanding the microbial ecology of biofilms is now much more readily available and the capacity to manipulate biofilms is becoming an important feature of biotechnology.

Manipulation of Biofilm Microbial Ecology

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

White, D.C.; Palmer, R.J., Jr.; Zinn, M.; Smith, C.A.; Burkhalter, R.; Macnaughton, S.J.; Whitaker, K.W.; Kirkegaard, R.D.

1998-08-15

The biofilm mode of growth provides such significant advantages to the members of the consortium that most organisms in important habitats are found in biofilms. The study of factors that allow manipulation of biofilm microbes in the biofilm growth state requires that reproducible biofilms be generated. The most effective monitoring of biofilm formation, succession and desaturation is with on-line monitoring of microbial biofilms with flowcell for direct observation. The biofilm growth state incorporates a second important factor, the heterogeneity in distribution in time and space of the component members of the biofilm consortium. This heterogeneity is reflected not only in the cellular distribution but in the metabolic activity within a population of cells. Activity and cellular distribution can be mapped in four dimensions with confocal microscopy, and function can be ascertained by genetically manipulated reporter functions for specific genes or by vital stains. The methodology for understanding the microbial ecology of biofilms is now much more readily available and the capacity to manipulate biofilms is becoming an important feature of biotechnology.

Biofilms in chronic infections - a matter of opportunity - monospecies biofilms in multispecies infections

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Burmølle, Mette; Thomsen, Trine Rolighed; Fazli, Mustafa

2010-01-01

It has become evident that aggregation or biofilm formation is an important survival mechanism for bacteria in almost any environment. In this review, we summarize recent visualizations of bacterial aggregates in several chronic infections (chronic otitis media, cystic fibrosis, infection due...... to permanent tissue fillers and chronic wounds) both as to distribution (such as where in the wound bed) and organization (monospecies or multispecies microcolonies). We correlate these biofilm observations to observations of commensal biofilms (dental and intestine) and biofilms in natural ecosystems (soil......). The observations of the chronic biofilm infections point toward a trend of low bacterial diversity and sovereign monospecies biofilm aggregates even though the infection in which they reside are multispecies. In contrast to this, commensal and natural biofilm aggregates contain multiple species that are believed...

Influence of culture conditions on Escherichia coli O157:H7 biofilm formation by atomic force microscopy

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Oh, Y.J.; Jo, W.; Yang, Y.; Park, S.

2007-01-01

Biofilms are complex microbial communities that are resistant against attacks by bacteriophages and removal by drugs and chemicals. In this study, biofilms of Escherichia coli O157:H7, a bacterial pathogen, were investigated using atomic force microscopy (AFM) in terms of the dynamic transition of morphology and surface properties of bacterial cells over the development of biofilms. The physical and topographical properties of biofilms are different, depending on nutrient availability. Compared to biofilms formed in a high nutrient medium, biofilms form faster and a higher number of bacterial cells were recovered on glass surface in a low nutrient medium. We demonstrate that AFM can obtain high-resolution images and the elastic information about biofilms. As E. coli biofilm becomes mature, the magnitude of the force between a tip and the surface of the biofilm gets stronger, suggesting that extracellular polymeric substances (EPSs), sticky components of biofilms, accumulate over the surface of cells upon the initial attachment of bacterial cells to surfaces

The application of impedance measurement to assess biofilm development on technical materials used for water supply system construction

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Wolf Mirela

2017-01-01

Full Text Available The lack of biological stability of water which is introduced into the network, leads primarily to its secondary contamination during transport to the consumer. The water that is biologically unstable creates ideal conditions for colonization of the inner surface of pipelines by microorganisms and adhesion of their products (biocorrosion. The studies was conducted using the identified microorganisms isolated from the water supply network which accounted inocula in continuous culture of biofilm in CDC reactor. As a result of studies it was revealed the presence of biofilm formed on different materials polyethylene, polypropylene, polyvinyl chloride, polybutylene. Microbiological biodiversity of organisms inhabiting a biofilm of the diversity of nucleic acids was used. It was observed the amount of the psychrophilic bacteria oscillation in the effluent from the reactor. It was also determined the affinity of various bacteria to the plastic through adhesion measurement using impedance spectroscopy. For impedance measurements apparatus SIGNAL RECOVERY 7280 DSP LOCK-IN AMPLIFIER was used, recording impedance components (real and imaginary. The results will allow for the creation of biosensor systems that can be used in predicting health risks in connection with drinking water and taking corrective actions.

The application of impedance measurement to assess biofilm development on technical materials used for water supply system construction

Science.gov (United States)

Wolf, Mirela; Traczewska, Teodora; Grzebyk, Tomasz

2017-11-01

The lack of biological stability of water which is introduced into the network, leads primarily to its secondary contamination during transport to the consumer. The water that is biologically unstable creates ideal conditions for colonization of the inner surface of pipelines by microorganisms and adhesion of their products (biocorrosion). The studies was conducted using the identified microorganisms isolated from the water supply network which accounted inocula in continuous culture of biofilm in CDC reactor. As a result of studies it was revealed the presence of biofilm formed on different materials polyethylene, polypropylene, polyvinyl chloride, polybutylene. Microbiological biodiversity of organisms inhabiting a biofilm of the diversity of nucleic acids was used. It was observed the amount of the psychrophilic bacteria oscillation in the effluent from the reactor. It was also determined the affinity of various bacteria to the plastic through adhesion measurement using impedance spectroscopy. For impedance measurements apparatus SIGNAL RECOVERY 7280 DSP LOCK-IN AMPLIFIER was used, recording impedance components (real and imaginary). The results will allow for the creation of biosensor systems that can be used in predicting health risks in connection with drinking water and taking corrective actions.

Reactor staging influences microbial community composition and diversity of denitrifying MBBRs- Implications on pharmaceutical removal

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Torresi, Elena; Gülay, Arda; Polesel, Fabio

2018-01-01

The subdivision of biofilm reactor in two or more stages (i.e., reactor staging) represents an option for process optimisation of biological treatment. In our previous work, we showed that the gradient of influent organic substrate availability (induced by the staging) can influence the microbial...

Treatment of Rural Wastewater Using a Spiral Fiber Based Salinity-Persistent Sequencing Batch Biofilm Reactor

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ying-Xin Zhao

2017-12-01

Full Text Available Differing from municipal wastewater, rural wastewater in salinization areas is characterized with arbitrary discharge and high concentration of salt, COD, nitrogen and phosphorus, which would cause severe deterioration of rivers and lakes. To overcome the limits of traditional biological processes, a spiral fiber based salinity-persistent Sequencing Biofilm Batch Reactor (SBBR was developed and investigated with synthetic rural wastewater (COD = 500 mg/L, NH4+-N = 50 mg/L, TP = 6 mg/L under different salinity (0.0–10.0 g/L of NaCl. Results indicated that a quick start-up could be achieved in 15 days, along with sufficient biomass up to 7275 mg/L. During operating period, the removal of COD, NH4+-N, TN was almost not disturbed by salt varying from 0.0 to 10.0 g/L with stable efficiency reaching 92%, 82% and 80%, respectively. Although TP could be removed at high efficiency of 90% in low salinity conditions (from 0.0 to 5.0 g/L of NaCl, it was seriously inhibited due to nitrite accumulation and reduction of Phosphorus Accumulating Organisms (PAOs after addition of 10.0 g/L of salt. The behavior proposed in this study will provide theoretical foundation and guidance for application of SBBR in saline rural wastewater treatment.

Characterization, morphology and composition of biofilm and precipitates from a sulphate-reducing fixed-bed reactor

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Remoundaki, Emmanouela; Kousi, Pavlina; Joulian, Catherine; Battaglia-Brunet, Fabienne; Hatzikioseyian, Artin; Tsezos, Marios

2008-01-01

The characteristics of the biofilm and the solids formed during the operation of a sulphate-reducing fixed-bed reactor, fed with a moderately acidic synthetic effluent containing zinc and iron, are presented. A diverse population of δ-Proteobacteria SRB, affiliated to four distinct genera, colonized the system. The morphology, mineralogy and surface chemistry of the precipitates were studied by X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and energy dispersive X-ray (EDX). The XRD patterns observed are characteristic of amorphous solid phases. Peaks corresponding to crystalline iron sulphide, marcasite, sphalerite and wurtzite were also identified. SEM-EDX results confirm the predominance of amorphous phases appearing as a cloudy haze. EDX spectra of spots on the surface of these amorphous phases reveal the predominance of iron, zinc and sulphur indicating the formation of iron and zinc sulphides. The predominance of these amorphous phases and the formation of very fine particles, during the operation of the SRB column, are in agreement and can be explained by the formation pathways of metal sulphides at ambient temperature, alkaline pH and reducing conditions. Solids are precipitated either as (i) amorphous phases deposited on the bed material, as well as on surface of crystals, e.g. Mg 3 (PO 4 ) 2 and (ii) as rod-shaped solids characterized by a rough hazy surface, indicating the encapsulation of bacterial cells by amorphous metal sulphides

Competitive Interactions in Mixed-Species Biofilms Containing the Marine Bacterium Pseudoalteromonas tunicata

Science.gov (United States)

Rao, Dhana; Webb, Jeremy S.; Kjelleberg, Staffan

2005-01-01

Pseudoalteromonas tunicata is a biofilm-forming marine bacterium that is often found in association with the surface of eukaryotic organisms. It produces a range of extracellular inhibitory compounds, including an antibacterial protein (AlpP) thought to be beneficial for P. tunicata during competition for space and nutrients on surfaces. As part of our studies on the interactions between P. tunicata and the epiphytic bacterial community on the marine plant Ulva lactuca, we investigated the hypothesis that P. tunicata is a superior competitor compared with other bacteria isolated from the plant. A number of U. lactuca bacterial isolates were (i) identified by 16S rRNA gene sequencing, (ii) characterized for the production of or sensitivity to extracellular antibacterial proteins, and (iii) labeled with a fluorescent color tag (either the red fluorescent protein DsRed or green fluorescent protein). We then grew single- and mixed-species bacterial biofilms containing P. tunicata in glass flow cell reactors. In pure culture, all the marine isolates formed biofilms containing microcolony structures within 72 h. However, in mixed-species biofilms, P. tunicata removed the competing strain unless its competitor was relatively insensitive to AlpP (Pseudoalteromonas gracilis) or produced strong inhibitory activity against P. tunicata (Roseobacter gallaeciensis). Moreover, biofilm studies conducted with an AlpP− mutant of P. tunicata indicated that the mutant was less competitive when it was introduced into preestablished biofilms, suggesting that AlpP has a role during competitive biofilm formation. When single-species biofilms were allowed to form microcolonies before the introduction of a competitor, these microcolonies coexisted with P. tunicata for extended periods of time before they were removed. Two marine bacteria (R. gallaeciensis and P. tunicata) were superior competitors in this study. Our data suggest that this dominance can be attributed to the ability of

Effective biofilm removal and changes in bacterial biofilm building capacity after wound debridement with low-frequency ultrasound as part of wound bed preparation before skin grafting

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Yarets Y

2017-03-01

Full Text Available Yuliya Yarets Clinical Laboratory Medicine Department, The Republican Scientific Centre for Radiation Medicine and Human Ecology, Gomel, Belarus Abstract: The aim of the study was to evaluate the efficacy of ultrasonic-assisted wound debridement (UAW used for wound bed preparation of chronic wounds prior to skin grafting. Initially, 140 patients were enrolled into study. Group 1 patients (n=53 with critically colonized wounds underwent a single UAW procedure before skin grafting. Group 2 patients (n=87 with colonized wounds received two UAW sessions, skin grafting followed by the second UAW treatment. Initial wound classification in colonized and critically colonized wounds did not correlate with results from microbiological analysis of wound swab samples. Hence, comparison of efficacy of one or two debridement sessions was conducted solely for a similar group of patients, that is, patients with colonized wounds of group 1 (n=40 and group 2 (n=47. In wounds of group 1 patients, a single debridement session resulted in reduction of bacteria from >104 to <104 CFU/mL. However, bacteria remaining at wound site showed minor differences in biofilm slime production, with skin graft failure being observed in 25% cases. In wounds of group 2 patients, two debridement sessions significantly reduced bacterial presence up to <102 CFU/mL. Bacteria remaining at wound site showed low capacity for biofilm slime production and high accumulation of biomass; a complete graft healing was observed in all patients. We suggest two to three debridement sessions with UAW to be most effective in wound bed preparation before skin grafting of chronic wounds. UAW showed to be effective in cleaning the wound bed, destroying the extracellular substances in biofilms, and influencing biofilm slime building capacity of bacteria left at wound site. Keywords: wound debridement, wound bed preparation, biofilm, low-frequency ultrasound, skin grafting, biofilm assay

Preliminary Analysis of Severe Accident Progression Initiated from Small Break LOCA of a SMART Reactor

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Jin, Young Ho; Park, Jong Hwa; Kim, Dong Ha; Cho, Seong Won

2010-01-01

SMART (System integrated Modular Advanced ReacTor), is under the development at Korea Atomic Energy Research Institute (KAERI). SMART is an integral type pressurized water reactor which contains a pressurizer, 4 reactor coolant pumps (RCPs), and 8 steam generator cassettes(S/Gs) in a single reactor vessel. This reactor has substantially enhanced its safety with an integral layout of its major components, 4 trains of safety injection systems (SISs), and an adoption of 4 trains of passive residual heat removal systems (PRHRS) instead of an active auxiliary feedwater system . The thermal power is 330 MWth. During the conceptual design stage, a preliminary PSA was performed. PSA results identified that a small break loss of coolant accident (SLOCA) with all safety injections unavailable is one of important severe core damage sequences. Clear understanding of this sequence helps in the developing accident mitigation strategies. MIDAS/SMR computer code is used to simulate the severe accident progression initiated from a small break LOCA in SMART reactor. This code has capability to model a helical steam generator which is adopted in SMART reactor. The important accident progression results for SMART reactor are then compared with the typical pressurized water reactor (PWR) result

Next-Generation Pyrosequencing Analysis of Microbial Biofilm Communities on Granular Activated Carbon in Treatment of Oil Sands Process-Affected Water

Science.gov (United States)

Islam, M. Shahinoor; Zhang, Yanyan; McPhedran, Kerry N.

2015-01-01

The development of biodegradation treatment processes for oil sands process-affected water (OSPW) has been progressing in recent years with the promising potential of biofilm reactors. Previously, the granular activated carbon (GAC) biofilm process was successfully employed for treatment of a large variety of recalcitrant organic compounds in domestic and industrial wastewaters. In this study, GAC biofilm microbial development and degradation efficiency were investigated for OSPW treatment by monitoring the biofilm growth on the GAC surface in raw and ozonated OSPW in batch bioreactors. The GAC biofilm community was characterized using a next-generation 16S rRNA gene pyrosequencing technique that revealed that the phylum Proteobacteria was dominant in both OSPW and biofilms, with further in-depth analysis showing higher abundances of Alpha- and Gammaproteobacteria sequences. Interestingly, many known polyaromatic hydrocarbon degraders, namely, Burkholderiales, Pseudomonadales, Bdellovibrionales, and Sphingomonadales, were observed in the GAC biofilm. Ozonation decreased the microbial diversity in planktonic OSPW but increased the microbial diversity in the GAC biofilms. Quantitative real-time PCR revealed similar bacterial gene copy numbers (>109 gene copies/g of GAC) for both raw and ozonated OSPW GAC biofilms. The observed rates of removal of naphthenic acids (NAs) over the 2-day experiments for the GAC biofilm treatments of raw and ozonated OSPW were 31% and 66%, respectively. Overall, a relatively low ozone dose (30 mg of O3/liter utilized) combined with GAC biofilm treatment significantly increased NA removal rates. The treatment of OSPW in bioreactors using GAC biofilms is a promising technology for the reduction of recalcitrant OSPW organic compounds. PMID:25841014

Mycobacterium biofilms: factors involved in development, dispersal, and therapeutic strategies against biofilm-relevant pathogens.

Science.gov (United States)

Xiang, Xiaohong; Deng, Wanyan; Liu, Minqiang; Xie, Jianping

2014-01-01

Many bacteria can develop biofilm (BF), a multicellular structure largely combining bacteria and their extracellular polymeric substances (EPS). The formation of biofilm results in an alternative existence in which microbes ensure their survival in adverse environments. Biofilm-relevant infections are more persistent, resistant to most antibiotics, and more recalcitrant to host immunity. Mycobacterium tuberculosis, the causative agent of tuberculosis, can develop biofilm, though whether M. tuberculosis can form biofilm within tuberculosis patients has yet to be determined. Here, we summarize the factors involved in the development and dispersal of mycobacterial biofilms, as well as underlying regulatory factors and inhibitors against biofilm to deepen our understanding of their development and to elucidate potential novel modes of action for future antibiotics. Key factors in biofilm formation identified as drug targets represent a novel and promising avenue for developing better antibiotics.

The action of chemical and mechanical stresses on single and dual species biofilm removal of drinking water bacteria.

Science.gov (United States)

Gomes, I B; Lemos, M; Mathieu, L; Simões, M; Simões, L C

2018-08-01

The presence of biofilms in drinking water distribution systems (DWDS) is a global public health concern as they can harbor pathogenic microorganisms. Sodium hypochlorite (NaOCl) is the most commonly used disinfectant for microbial growth control in DWDS. However, its effect on biofilm removal is still unclear. This work aims to evaluate the effects of the combination of chemical (NaOCl) and mechanical stresses on the removal of single and dual species biofilms of two bacteria isolated from DWDS and considered opportunistic, Acinectobacter calcoaceticus and Stenotrophomonas maltophilia. A rotating cylinder reactor was successfully used for the first time in drinking water biofilm studies with polyvinyl chloride as substratum. The single and dual species biofilms presented different characteristics in terms of metabolic activity, mass, density, thickness and content of proteins and polysaccharides. Their complete removal was not achieved even when a high NaOCl concentrations and an increasing series of shear stresses (from 2 to 23Pa) were applied. In general, NaOCl pre-treatment did not improve the impact of mechanical stress on biofilm removal. Dual species biofilms were colonized mostly by S. maltophilia and were more susceptible to chemical and mechanical stresses than these single species. The most efficient treatment (93% biofilm removal) was the combination of NaOCl at 175mg·l -1 with mechanical stress against dual species biofilms. Of concern was the high tolerance of S. maltophilia to chemical and mechanical stresses in both single and dual species biofilms. The overall results demonstrate the inefficacy of NaOCl on biofilm removal even when combined with high shear stresses. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Meningococcal biofilm formation

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Lappann, M.; Haagensen, Janus Anders Juul; Claus, H.

2006-01-01

We show that in a standardized in vitro flow system unencapsulated variants of genetically diverse lineages of Neisseria meningitidis formed biofilms, that could be maintained for more than 96 h. Biofilm cells were resistant to penicillin, but not to rifampin or ciprofloxacin. For some strains......, microcolony formation within biofilms was observed. Microcolony formation in strain MC58 depended on a functional copy of the pilE gene encoding the pilus subunit pilin, and was associated with twitching of cells. Nevertheless, unpiliated pilE mutants formed biofilms showing that attachment and accumulation......X alleles was identified among genetically diverse meningococcal strains. PilX alleles differed in their propensity to support autoaggregation of cells in suspension, but not in their ability to support microcolony formation within biofilms in the continuous flow system....

Biofilms in wounds

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Cooper, R A; Bjarnsholt, Thomas; Alhede, M

2014-01-01

Following confirmation of the presence of biofilms in chronic wounds, the term biofilm became a buzzword within the wound healing community. For more than a century pathogens have been successfully isolated and identified from wound specimens using techniques that were devised in the nineteenth...... extracellular polymeric substances (EPS). Cells within such aggregations (or biofilms) display varying physiological and metabolic properties that are distinct from those of planktonic cells, and which contribute to their persistence. There are many factors that influence healing in wounds and the discovery...... of biofilms in chronic wounds has provided new insight into the reasons why. Increased tolerance of biofilms to antimicrobial agents explains the limited efficacy of antimicrobial agents in chronic wounds and illustrates the need to develop new management strategies. This review aims to explain the nature...

Biofilm extracellular DNA enhances mixed species biofilms of Staphylococcus epidermidis and Candida albicans.

Science.gov (United States)

Pammi, Mohan; Liang, Rong; Hicks, John; Mistretta, Toni-Ann; Versalovic, James

2013-11-14

Polymicrobial infections are responsible for significant mortality and morbidity in adults and children. Staphylococcus epidermidis and Candida albicans are the most frequent combination of organisms isolated from polymicrobial infections. Vascular indwelling catheters are sites for mixed species biofilm formation and pose a significant risk for polymicrobial infections. We hypothesized that enhancement of biofilms in a mixed species environment increases patient mortality and morbidity. Mixed species biofilms of S. epidermidis and C. albicans were evaluated in vitro and in a subcutaneous catheter infection model in vivo. Mixed species biofilms were enhanced compared to single species biofilms of either S. epidermidis or C. albicans. A mixed species environment increased catheter infection and increased dissemination of S. epidermidis in mice. Microarrays were used to explore differential gene expression of S. epidermidis in the mixed species biofilms. In mixed species biofilms, compared to single species S. epidermidis biofilms, 2.7% of S. epidermidis genes were upregulated and 6% were down regulated. Staphylococcal autolysis repressors lrgA and lrgB were down regulated 36-fold and 27-fold respectively. The role of biofilm extracellular DNA was investigated by quantitation and by evaluating the effects of DNAse in a concentration and time dependent manner. S. epidermidis specific eDNA was increased in mixed species biofilms and further confirmed by degradation with DNAse. Mixed-species biofilms are enhanced and associated with increased S. epidermidis-specific eDNA in vitro and greater systemic dissemination of S. epidermidis in vivo. Down regulation of the lrg operon, a repressor of autolysis, associated with increased eDNA suggests a possible role for bacterial autolysis in mixed species biofilms. Enhancement and systemic dissemination of S. epidermidis may explain adverse outcomes after clinical polymicrobial infections of S. epidermidis and C. albicans.

Biofilm extracellular DNA enhances mixed species biofilms of Staphylococcus epidermidis and Candida albicans

Science.gov (United States)

2013-01-01

Background Polymicrobial infections are responsible for significant mortality and morbidity in adults and children. Staphylococcus epidermidis and Candida albicans are the most frequent combination of organisms isolated from polymicrobial infections. Vascular indwelling catheters are sites for mixed species biofilm formation and pose a significant risk for polymicrobial infections. We hypothesized that enhancement of biofilms in a mixed species environment increases patient mortality and morbidity. Results Mixed species biofilms of S. epidermidis and C. albicans were evaluated in vitro and in a subcutaneous catheter infection model in vivo. Mixed species biofilms were enhanced compared to single species biofilms of either S. epidermidis or C. albicans. A mixed species environment increased catheter infection and increased dissemination of S. epidermidis in mice. Microarrays were used to explore differential gene expression of S. epidermidis in the mixed species biofilms. In mixed species biofilms, compared to single species S. epidermidis biofilms, 2.7% of S. epidermidis genes were upregulated and 6% were down regulated. Staphylococcal autolysis repressors lrgA and lrgB were down regulated 36-fold and 27-fold respectively. The role of biofilm extracellular DNA was investigated by quantitation and by evaluating the effects of DNAse in a concentration and time dependent manner. S. epidermidis specific eDNA was increased in mixed species biofilms and further confirmed by degradation with DNAse. Conclusions Mixed-species biofilms are enhanced and associated with increased S. epidermidis-specific eDNA in vitro and greater systemic dissemination of S. epidermidis in vivo. Down regulation of the lrg operon, a repressor of autolysis, associated with increased eDNA suggests a possible role for bacterial autolysis in mixed species biofilms. Enhancement and systemic dissemination of S. epidermidis may explain adverse outcomes after clinical polymicrobial infections of S