EVALUATION OF BIOFILM IN WASTEWATER TREATMENT SYSTEM

ABSTRACT

Biofilm in waste water treatment system was evaluated. Slime (film) formers were isolated from water samples collected from treated waste water; from brewery and bottling company in Aba. Result obtained from the adherence slip culture show the presence of five bacteria isolates with ability to adhere strongly onto the cover slip in water. The isolates and occurance  were; Staphylococcus,  100%, Bacillus, 100%, Pseudomonas 80%, E.coli  40% and Listeria  50%. Further tests for confirmation of biofilm production was done using the congo red agar colorimetric method. Staphylococcus, Bacillus,  and Pseudomonas  showed positive biofilm production while  E.coli  and Listeria  did not produce slime in the culture. Also present of physico-chemical properties of the waste water samples indicates low quality with high BOD of 9.7mg/l to 22.5mg/l in the treated water bottling company waste water and from 9.67mg/l to 13.7mg/l. The COD range was 4.61mg/l to 8.06mg/l and from 2.75mg/l to 5.66mg/l in the two waste waters respectively. The pH ranged from 5.33 to 5.79 and from 5.43 to 6.23 in the water samples. The more variations in Temperature of the waters over the days as well as in the Total Solids and Total Suspended Solids content. The water was considered to be polluted by organic pollutant and unsuitable for domestic use as the biofilm can cause deliteries effects on utensils including corrosion and possible infections.

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Title page                                                                                                                    i

Certification                                                                                                               ii

Dedication                                                                                                                  iii

Acknowledgement                                                                                                      iv

Table of Contents                                                                                                       v

List of Tables                                                                                                              vii

List of  Figures                                                                                                            viii

Abstract                                                                                                                      ix

CHAPTER ONE

1.1       Introduction                                                                                                    1

1.2       Advantages and disadvantages of biofilm application                                   2

1.3       Aims and objectives                                                                                       3

Chapter two - LITERATURE REVIEW                                                           4

2.1 Wastewater and Its Treatment                                                                              4

2.1.1   Wastewater Components                                                                      5

2.2  Biofilms                                                                                                               7

2.2.1    Development of formation of biofilm                                                           8

2.2.2    Biofilm system in Wastewater                                                                       11

2.2.3    Comparison between suspended and fixed film                                             12

2.2.4    Sludge mechanisms                                                                                        13

2.2.5    Wastewater and anaerobic treatment                                                             14

CHAPTER THREE - MATERIALS AND METHOD                                              16

3.1       Sources of Material                                                                                        16

3.2       Sample and  Media Preparation.                                                                   16

3.2.1    Sample and Sampling                                                                                    16

3.2.2    Media Preparations                                                                                         16

3.3       Determination of Bacterial Load                                                                   17

3.4       Isolation of Biofilm Producing Bacteria                                                          18

3.4.1    Characterisation and Identification of Biofilm suspect isolates                          19

3.5       Determination of physiochemical properties of waste water samples.            20

3.5.1    Determination of temperature                                                                          20

3.5.2    Determination of pH                                                                                         20

3.5.3    Determination of total and suspended solids.                                                   20

3.5.4    COD determination                                                                                           21

3.5.5    Determination of BOD                                                                                      21

3.6       Determination of Biofilm formation of Isolates                                                22

CHAPTER FOUR – RESULTS                                                                                        24

CHAPTER FIVE – DISCUSSION, CONCLUSION AND RECOMMENDATION      30

5.1       Conclusion                                                                                                            31

5.2       Recommendation                                                                                                 31

References

Appendixes

LIST OF TABLES

Table         Title                                                                            Page

1:         Confirming of Biofilm Formation                                                      24

LIST OF FIGURES

Figure      Title                                                                            Page

1:         Occurrence of biofilm suspects on slip film culture                                      26

2:         Physiochemical composition of treated waste water from

brewery and bottling company                                                           28

CHAPTER ONE

1.1       Introduction

Wastewater management is one of the major concerns to both public and private institutions as it posses a great challenge to the health of the citizens of a particular country in the world. The water waste issue is not only important but as difficult to resolve. This is the situation not only to the industrial areas but also to it surrounding neighbourhood. Large waste water treatment plants present composite technological units with high efficiency. This is because of the qualities operation and long-time experiences (Gasparikova et al., 2005). The character of settlements in developed and developing countries, industrial area and urban municipals does not allow many people to connect the sewage system.

Sewage refers to the category of waste water that have been eliminated from domestic users which include households, food establishments, industries, agroeconomy, agroallied companies etc. it consists of various  pollutants such as  faecal wastes, food debris, grease, detergents and other chemical substances. In general, sewage is channeled through an extended pipping system underground to the waste water  treatment plant where numerous steps and water purification systems are used to remove the pollutants in waste water (Khaled, et al; 2014). A direct discharge to open water sources such as rivers and the sea will result in water pollution.

Biofilm is a community of microorganisms that may include bacteria, fungi, yeasts and protozoa, attached to a solid surface (Venkat, et al; 2005). Biofilms are produced by microorganisms and consist of a sticky rigid structure of polysaccharides and other organic contaminants. This slime layer is anchored to a surface and provides a protective environment in which microorganisms grow (Venkat et al; 2005). Biofilms from on any surfaces that is exposed to non-sterile water or other liquids and are consequently found in many environmental, industrial and medical environments. Numerous  type of biofilm is employed in biological waste water  treatment  system such as trickling , filtration system, rotating biological contactors, fluidized bed reactors, fixed media submerged biofiltrating etc. (Khaled et al; 2014).

1.2       Advantages and disadvantages of biofilm application

There are certain benefits and disadvantages in these systems and biofilm applications. For instance, the use of biofilm system is appealing in smaller applications due to simpler procedures, lower maintenance cost and more reliable. However, the most common drawback associated with biofilm is high organic loading that often results in clogged films due to the proliferation of slime bacteria. The proliferation of bacteria also results in other problems such as malodour issues in the trickling filtration system and the restruction of oxygen for biofilm microorganisms (Odegaard, 1999).  All sewage or waste water treatment facilities are required to conform to the predetermined standards of water quality such as Biological Oxygen Demand (BOD) 5 levels, contents of suspended solids and the presence of other waste substance. However, the current  application of waste water treatment systems which uses activities sludge system oxidation ponds, tricking filtration and aerates lagoon are regards as inefficient by many studies (Shahot and Khmaj, 2012).

Considerable evidence exists in the scientific literature that implicate biofilms as being responsible for a variety of nosocomial infections associated with medical devices, hospital equipment, and  other hard surfaces (Venkat, et al; 2005). Also, household and workplace surfaces such as sinks, countertops, toilets and cutting boards can acts as reservoirs. There is some evidence linking biofilms to diseases such as ottis media (common ear infection) bacterial endocarditis and Legionnaire’s disease. Biofilms have also been found in patients with cystic fibrosis (Venkat et al; 2005).

The issue of compact wastewater treatment system is gaining an elevates concern in the  world mainly in densely populated regions where there is a higher strain on the environment which results in high  demand  on waste  abatement. Both the cost of secondary treatment standards sets demands for waste water treatment plants that have a small foot print, produce an effluent of high standard and also comply with waste minimization (Leiknes and Odegaard, 2001).

1.3       Aims and objectives

The objective of this project work is to study bacteria biofilm formation in treated industrial waste water. The objectives include specifically the following;

-       Evaluating the physio-chemical status of the wastewater samples collected from industrial areas.

-       To isolate and identify biofilm forming bacteria in the waste water samples.

-       To determine the occurrence of biofilm formers in the treated water.

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