Isolation, characterization and evaluation of the potential for biofilm formation of bacteria recovered from water in reverse osmosis membrane systems

• Grant number: 12/14440-0
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Scientific Initiation
• Start date: October 01, 2012
• End date: September 30, 2013
• Field of knowledge: Engineering - Sanitary Engineering - Water Supply and Wastewater Treatment
• Principal Investigator: Virginia Medeiros de Siqueira
• Grantee: Douglas Moreira de Oliveira
• Host Institution: Centro Pluridisciplinar de Pesquisas Químicas, Biológicas e Agrícolas (CPQBA). Universidade Estadual de Campinas (UNICAMP). Paulínia , SP, Brazil

Abstract

The technology of reverse osmosis systems is seen nowadays as a clean technology with low environmental impact, and therefore has been used by diverse industries, including oil refineries, in order to treat and reuse water, and subsequently reduce discharges in the environment. The adhesion and growth of microorganisms, i.e. the development of biofilms, represents one of the problems associated to the use of membranes for water treatment. Biofilms are formed by microorganisms, e.g. bacteria that when free in the liquid phase can stick to surfaces, or other microorganisms that may be incorporated into the preformed biofilm. In both cases, water supply can be considered as a source of contamination. Thus, this project aims the isolation and identification of bacteria from feed water in a reverse osmosis system, as well as evaluation of their potential for biofilm formation and characterization of features related to adhesion and initiation of biofilm formation, i.e. motility and hydrophobicity. These data represent important information for identification of bacteria that are involved in the initial formation of biofilms, aiding in further disinfection procedures directed to these microorganisms. (AU)