03-microbes of microbiological attack
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Microbes of Microbiological Attack
Microbial problems were seen at their height in the early eighties. There has been a reduction in
the number of incidents although the problem has never fgone away. In addition whereas effects
were seen ainly in distillate fuels and lubricants, it is now seen in residual fuels, drinking andballast water. Failure to eradicate completely a re put down to advserse trading, poor training and
housekeeping, environmental restrictions in the use of microbial agents and the restrictions in
bilge pumping placed by MARPOL
MICROBES
Microbiological contamination consisting of bacteria, yeasts and moulds, are easily tolerated atlow contamination levels. It is only when their numbers are not controlled that rapid infestation
occurs
From a marine point of view there are six main areas of concern for microbiological
infestation. These are:
1. Distillate fuel;2. Lubricating oil;3. Cooling water;4. Bilge water;5. Ballast water;6. Distillate cargoes.
Conditions promoting growth
In each case, it is to be remembered that microbes are living organisms and their growth dependsupon the readily availability of water, nutrients, heat, oxygen (or sometimes lack of it) within anotherwise acceptable environment.
Water
The main requirement for microbiol activity is water. This must be available water and not just
water content. bA typical minimum value is 1%. This can happern due to insufficient draining.The presence of free water can lead to rapid micorbiol growth after 1 week at 30'C. Where water
is dispersed then growth is limited the microbes existing in water droplets or surrounded with a
water sheath.
Modern lead-free gasolines contain water soluble oxygenates such as methyl and ethyl alcohol,methyl tertiary butyl ether these along with antifreeze glyciol when migrted to the water phase
cause a depression in microbiol activity. The level of glycol must be above a minimum as below
this the glycol can actually promote growth
NutrientsHydrocarbons and chemical additives in the fuel and lubricant act as their food source. Inaddition to this are nutritive matter found in contaminated water either fresh or sea water. Sea
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water in addition promotes the growth of sulphate reducing bacteria. Cargo residues , particularly
for ships carrying such thinks like fertilisers are also sources. The presence of rust and other
particulates can promote growth.
Note that clean dry fuel kept at reasonable temperature will never permit any significant
growth
TemperatureWarm enginerooms ( 15 - 35'C) provide the ideal breeding ground for microbiol growth. Too hot(70'C) or too cold (5'C) will retard growth
EnvironmentMost corrosive forms of bacteria prefer astable environment and dislike adgitation. Thus ships in
lay up or ships that spend long periods inactive are particularly susceptible. Water leakage or
condenstaion will ten provide the living environment. The microbes live in the water phase butfeed on nutrients in the oil phase this the boundary area sees agressive growth.
IndicationsThe unpleasant by-products of their digestion, after hydrocarbons have been oxidised into acids,
include toxic and pungent hydrogen sulphide. This is produced from any sulphurous compounds
within the fuel, lubricant, seawater or waste product. Microbial growth is seen as a characteristicsludge formed from accumulated cellular material which may restrict fuel and lubricant pipelines and filters.
Types of Microbes
There are three basic types of micro organsims that cause problems in the marine industry, these
are bacteria, yeasts and moulds.
Bacteria
Bacteria can be subdivided into
1. Aerobic Bacteria Require oxygen to survive.2. Anaerobic Bacteria Live in the absence of oxygen3. Facultative Bacteria Live with or without oxygen
Bacteria is a highly diverse group of single celled organisms with rigid cell walls. They may be
rod like, spherical or spiral and many are actively mobile with a whip like appendage(flagellum). They can reproduce asexually and rapidly using binary fission with a doubling timeof as low as 20 minutes. They are design to reproduce rapidly when the time is rigth and some
are able to produce extremely resistant spores able to withstand high temperatures and
disinfectants.
Although in the main they prefer neutral or slightly alkaline environments some can exist in the
extremes of acid. They can excrete partial breakdown products on which other forms of bacteria
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can feed. In addition they can produce large amounts of extra-cellular slime which coats and
stabilises the living environment. This slime can protect against or deactivate biocides. This
slime can prevent the diffusion of oxygen to the base of the growth and thereby promoteSuulphate Reducing Bacteria which are particularly agressive.
Yeasts
These are unicellular, being ovoid or spherical in shape some may also produce rudimentary
filaments. They reproduce by budding and growing off the parent untill large enough to seperate.This process may take several hours.They prefer slightly acidity
Moulds
Multicellular with hard chitinous cell walls.They are ususally found as branched hyphaeforming
a thick, tough intertwined mat occurring most commonly at oil/water interfaces. They reproduceby branching and can double there length in a few hours. They can also produce spores.
They prefer slightly acidic conditions, using oxygen in their feeding process they produce byproducts suitable for other microbes to feed and an atmosphre suitable for Sulphate Reducing
bacteria.
They reduce complex hydrocarbons to simpler carbon compounds. Intensive corrosion can occur
under the mat. They can be both sea water and temperature tolerant
Sulphate Reducing Bacteria (SRB)
These are a specific group of anaerobic bacteria with special growth requirements. They can only
use simple carbon compounds therefore they require the prescence of other microbes. They willproduce hydrogen Sulphide in the prescence of sulhure containing compounds such as sulphatesfound in sea water.
Desulfotomaculum has the added ability to produce extremely hardy spores able to resistexposure to air, heat and most biocide chemicals. Both this and Desulfovibrio are very insiduous
and able to rapidly cause corrosion in ships hull and machinery