Biological Stability of Water after the Biofiltration Process

Abstract

One of the most frequently implemented processes in the water treatment technology is filtration through a biosorption bed. The techniques based on biochemical processes involving bacteria result in obtaining high quality of water. There are a number of different materials used as the filler material for biological filters. Carbon deposits are the most popular, due to their high effectiveness. The problem with the use of this process is the leaching of microorganisms from the biofilm and the biological stability of water thus obtained. There is a need to develop quick methods to assess the microbiological quality of this water. Modern techniques for determining the amount of microorganisms, such as flow cytometry and luminometry may be the right tools. The water collected for testing came from the Water Treatment Station located in the Podkarpackie voivodeship. The microbiological tests carried out in the analyzed water samples collected after the filtration process on granular activated carbon. Both traditional culture method and modern techniques used to determine the number of microorganisms (flow cytometry, luminometric ATP assay) demonstrated an increase in the number of microorganisms in the examined waters (in the water after the filtration process and in the water introduced into the water supply network) after the incubation process for 3 and 7 days at 15 and 22°C.

The Impact of the Quality of Tap Water and the Properties of Installation Materials on the Formation of Biofilms

“…A similar dependency was noted in the case of total organic carbon (TOC), the content of which, after passing through the system, increased from 2.03 mg C/L to 2.93 mg C/L. Decrease of biofilm growth depends on water temperature, time duration of presence in the system, as well as type and concentration of disinfectant [32,35,36].…”

“…In order to maintain stability and maximally limit the risk of secondary biological water pollution, two out of three biogenes determining microorganism growth should be removed [10]. Zamorska in her research, confirmed the lack of biological stability of water injected into the water-pipe network [32].…”

“…The proposed new method of assessing the adhesion of microorganisms based on the fractographic analysis of the material surface has proved to be a useful tool in the quantitative description of the biofilm structure. Decrease of biofilm growth depends on water temperature, time duration of presence in the system, as well as type and concentration of disinfectant [32,35,36].…”

Optimization of Quantitative Analysis of Biofilm Cell from Pipe Materials

“…This study showed that R2A agar stimulated the growth of a higher number of microorganisms compared to A agar. Similar results were obtained in the studies [47,48]. The composition of Agar R (with reduced peptone, yeast extract and dextrose level) combined with an extended incubation time stimulates the growth of a higher number of heterotrophic bacteria [47].…”

Biostability of Tap Water—A Qualitative Analysis of Health Risk in the Example of Groundwater Treatment (Semi-Technical Scale)

“…Less attention has been paid to the microbiological quality of the filtrate. In the works [55,56], small changes were shown between the quality of water directed to biofilters and flowing from the biofilter (the study was conducted for surface water treated with ozonation before biofiltration).…”