title: Action of glutaraldehyde and nitrite against sulfate-reducing bacterial biofilms.
abstract: A continuous flow reactor system was developed to evaluate the efficacy of antimicrobial treatments against sulfate-reducing bacterial biofilms. An annular reactor operating at a nominal dilution rate of 0.5 h(-1) was fed one-tenth strength Postgate C medium diluted in 1.5% NaCl and was inoculated with a mixed culture enriched from oilfield-produced water on the same medium. Thin biofilms developed in this reactor after 2 days of operation. The activity of these biofilms resulted in approximately 50 mg S l(-1) of sulfide at steady state prior to biocide treatment. Biocide efficacy was quantified by recording the time required for sulfide production to recover following an antimicrobial treatment. In a control experiment in which pure water was applied, the time required to reach 10 mg S l(-1) sulfide after the treatment was 1.7+/-1.2 h, whereas the time to reach this level of sulfide after a pulse dose of 500 mg l(-1) glutaraldehyde was delayed to 61+/-11 h. Nitrite treatment suppressed sulfide production as long as the nitrite concentration remained above 15 mg N l(-1). Sulfide production recovered more rapidly after nitrite treatment than it did after glutaraldehyde treatment.
authors.affiliation: Center for Biofilm Engineering and Department of Chemical Engineering, Montana State University-Bozeman, 59717-3980, USA.
authors.forename: L R
authors.initials: LR
authors.lastname: Gardner
authors.forename: P S
authors.initials: PS
authors.lastname: Stewart
mesh_terms: D000693:Anaerobiosis; D001421:Bacteria, Anaerobic / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000378:metabolism*; D018441:Biofilms / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000254:growth & development; D019149:Bioreactors; D004202:Disinfectants; D005976:Glutaral / Q000494:pharmacology*; D012977:Sodium Nitrite / Q000494:pharmacology*; D013431:Sulfates / Q000378:metabolism*; D013997:Time Factors
chemical_list: D004202:Disinfectants; D013431:Sulfates; D012977:Sodium Nitrite; D005976:Glutaral