Fouling biofilm development in a tubular flow system

dc.contributor.advisorCosterton, J. William F.
dc.contributor.authorMcCoy, William Foster
dc.date.accessioned2005-07-21T20:13:41Z
dc.date.available2005-07-21T20:13:41Z
dc.date.issued1982
dc.descriptionBibliography: p. 97-107.en
dc.description.abstractFouling biofilm development in a completely mixed tubular recycle reactor was studied. The geometry, materials and operation of the recycle circuit were designed to simulate conditions in industrial heat exchangers. The sampling system allowed direct (brightfield, epifluorescence, scanning electron and transmission electron photomicroscopy) and indirect (increased fluid frictional resistance, organic carbon, polysaccharide, adenosine triphosphate and deoxyribonucleic acid) observations of biofilms. Mixed culture biofilms were developed at two different fluid velocities. Biofilm accumulation on corrosion- resistant materials progressed in a sigmoidal fashion; biofilm accumulation on a corrosion susceptible metal was linear with time. Biofilms initially consisted of a monolayer of bacillary bacteria. Filamentous bacterial cells were invariably present in more fully developed biofilms. Fouling (increased fluid frictional resistance) always began after filamentous bacteria became a permanent part of the biofilm. Biofilms developed during low velocity runs were less dense (and had filamentous cells sooner) than biofilms developed during high velocity runs. Fouling biofilms were dynamic filamentous matrixes. Changes in the fluid frictional resistance were explained in terms of the appearance of the filamentous biofilm matrix. A technique is described that was effective in biofilm removal. The process is a practical approach to the problem of biofilm control in tubular heat exchanger systems. Rapid external cool-down of the metal tubular flow biofilm sampler (Robbins device) resulted in significant reductions in biofouling. Pure culture Pseudomonas sp. biofilm development was studied. Filamentous growth of sessile Pseudomonas sp. occurred. In liquid culture media, however, the organism grows as short bacillary rods. Accumulation of biomass by filamentous (but not bacillary) Pseudomonas sp. biofilms resulted in increased fluid frictional resistance. The biomass accumulation rate of filamentous biofilms was almost three times greater than the biomass accumulation rate of bacillary biofilms. The growth of Pseudomonas aeruginosa was characterized in nutrient broth batch cultures. Filamentous growth of P. aeruginosa strain MUCOID occurred because of a rapid shift-down in the log exponential growth rate. Pure culture Sphaerotilus natans biofilm development was studied. The filamentous growth of the organism caused fouling. The increase in fluid frictional resistance was directly proportional to the increase in adherent biomass. The growth of the biofilm was a linear function with time.en
dc.description.notesThis title is not available online. Access options are: - consulting the copy from Archives in our reading room in person - https://asc.ucalgary.ca/visiting/ - borrowing a circulating copy from the Library catalogue – https://ucalgary.primo.exlibrisgroup.com/discovery/search?vid=01UCALG_INST:UCALGARY&lang=en
dc.format.extentxvi, 237 leaves : ill. ; 30 cm.en
dc.identifier.citationMcCoy, W. F. (1982). Fouling biofilm development in a tubular flow system (Doctoral thesis, University of Calgary, Calgary, Canada). Retrieved from https://prism.ucalgary.ca. doi:10.11575/PRISM/14407en_US
dc.identifier.doihttp://dx.doi.org/10.11575/PRISM/14407
dc.identifier.lccTP 363 M18 1982en
dc.identifier.otherNL Number: 57125en
dc.identifier.urihttp://hdl.handle.net/1880/22527
dc.language.isoeng
dc.publisher.institutionUniversity of Calgaryen
dc.publisher.placeCalgaryen
dc.rightsUniversity of Calgary graduate students retain copyright ownership and moral rights for their thesis. You may use this material in any way that is permitted by the Copyright Act or through licensing that has been assigned to the document. For uses that are not allowable under copyright legislation or licensing, you are required to seek permission.
dc.subject.lccTP 363 M18 1982en
dc.subject.lcshHeat exchangers - Fouling
dc.subject.lcshFouling organisms
dc.subject.lcshFouling
dc.subject.lcshSurfaces (Technology)
dc.titleFouling biofilm development in a tubular flow system
dc.typedoctoral thesis
thesis.degree.disciplineBiology
thesis.degree.grantorUniversity of Calgary
thesis.degree.nameDoctor of Philosophy (PhD)
ucalgary.thesis.accessionTheses Collection 58.002:Box 449 82483973
ucalgary.thesis.notesUARCen
ucalgary.thesis.uarcreleasenoen
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