Effect of nitrate injection on the bacterial community in a water-oil tank system analyzed by PCR-DGGE.
Sulfide production by sulfate-reducing bacteria (SRB) is a major concern for the petroleum industry since it is toxic and corrosive, and causes plugging due to the formation of insoluble iron sulfides (reservoir souring). In this study, PCR followed by denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis (PCR-DGGE) using two sets of primers based on the 16S rRNA gene and on the aps gene (adenosine-5-phosphosulfate reductase) was used to track changes in the total bacterial and SRB communities, respectively, present in the water-oil tank system on an offshore platform in Brazil in which nitrate treatment was applied for 2 months (15 nitrate injections). PCR-DGGE analysis of the total bacterial community showed the existence of a dominant population in the water-oil tank, and that the appearance and/or the increase of intensity of some bands in the gels were not permanently affected by the introduction of nitrate. On the other hand, the SRB community was stimulated following nitrate treatment. Moreover, sulfide production did not exceed the permissible exposure limit in the water-oil separation tank studied treated with nitrate. Therefore, controlling sulfide production by treating the produced water tank with nitrate could reduce the quantity of chemical biocides required to control microbial activities.
Jurelevicius
Diogo
D
Laboratório de Genética Microbiana, Departamento de Microbiologia Geral, Instituto de Microbiologia Prof. Paulo de Góes, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Centro de Ciências da Saúde, Bloco I, Ilha do Fundão, CEP 21941.590 Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil.
von der Weid
Irene
I
Korenblum
Elisa
E
Valoni
Erika
E
Penna
Mônica
M
Seldin
Lucy
L
D001938:Brazil; D004269:DNA, Bacterial / Q000235:genetics; D004275:DNA, Ribosomal / Q000235:genetics; D004586:Electrophoresis; D005648:Fuel Oils / Q000382:microbiology*; D009566:Nitrates / Q000494:pharmacology*; D050862:Oxidoreductases Acting on Sulfur Group Donors / Q000235:genetics; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction; D012336:RNA, Ribosomal, 16S / Q000235:genetics; D013440:Sulfides / Q000378:metabolism; D016999:Sulfur-Reducing Bacteria / Q000145:classification* / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000378:metabolism*
D004269:DNA, Bacterial; D004275:DNA, Ribosomal; D005648:Fuel Oils; D009566:Nitrates; D012336:RNA, Ribosomal, 16S; D013440:Sulfides; D050862:Oxidoreductases Acting on Sulfur Group Donors; C019618:adenylylsulfate reductase