Abstract
Microbial activity is the cause of a variety of problems in water injection systems, e.g., microbial corrosion, plugging, and biofouling. Efficient monitoring of Saudi Aramco’s vast water injection system requires the development of online and automated technologies for monitoring microbial activities in the system. A previous system review and technology screening has identified five single-analyte strategies [1], which were evaluated in this study with a laboratory-scale setup to determine their applicability for automated determination of microbial activity in the injection water system. Four of the five single-analyte measuring principles tested in the laboratory setup were deemed less suitable for automation and/or reliable for use in the detection of microbial activity in the company injection water system. These four principles were: luminescence assay for adenosine-5’-triphosphate (ATP), detection and electrochemical measurements of H2S, determination of pH by electrochemical sensor, and measurement of oxidation-reduction potential (ORP). The strategy of staining cells with fluorescent DNA dyes, followed by quantification of fluorescence signals, was identified to hold, with proper optimization of DNA staining and fluorescence detection, a very promising potential for integration in automated, online sensors for microbial activity in the injection water system.
Highlights
Biofilm formation is one of the main causes of water quality deterioration, biofouling, and plugging in water injection systems [1] [2]
Five single-analyte strategies were evaluated in a laboratory-scale setup to determine their applicability for the automated monitoring of microbial activity
The simplest procedures suitable for automated cell enumeration were the staining of cells with photoreactive DNA dyes (PicoGreen and SYBR Green), followed by quantification of fluorescence signals
Summary
Biofilm formation is one of the main causes of water quality deterioration, biofouling, and plugging in water injection systems [1] [2]. The microbial number and activity are traditionally monitored with conventional growth methods that require manual sampling and handling [3]-[7]. To guarantee the continued high quality of the water in the company’s seawater injection pipelines, it is necessary to develop and implement a surveillance program that determines the microbiological load and activity at the injection wells. The research team reviewed the company injection water system, as well as the potential analytical methods that may be applicable for online and automated monitoring of microbial activity. 1) The review of the company water injection system indicated the presence of microbial activity in the system with 103 - 104 cells·ml−1 at the injection sites. 2) The active growth of microbes in the system requires continuous monitoring and control by proper biocide treatment and scraping
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