As with antibiotics, microbes ...

Published January 24, 2017 16:39 by Mike Dempsey, Managing Director, Advanced Bioprocess Development Ltd.

As with antibiotics, microbes have developed resistance to biocides. Therefore, dosing biocides into an RO system is not a good idea, especially if the treated water ends up in the aquatic environment. Instead, why not install an upstream bioprocess that will remove organic and inorganic electron donors and prevent or at least minimise biofouling in that way? For example, an expanded bed biofilm reactor, so that the place where biofilm forms can be controlled. If you want to know more about this technology, please contact me directly.

2 Comments

Not much developed resistance to biocides. It is basic chemistry of protein susceptibility to oxidation, and cell wall composition. Ozone still kills just about everything and HOCl is almost as potent. The notable exception for HOCL is cryptosporidium but that was probably not developed but innate to the oocyst structure.

Published January 31, 2017 15:11 by Joseph Cotruvo, President at Joseph Cotruvo & Associates, Water , Environment and Public Health

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Thanks Mike. I used bed technology before but for other purposes. Will it be effective in this terms?

Published January 29, 2017 10:45 by María del Amor Rodríguez Romero, Water Engineer

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1 Comment

As far as I know, it's never been tried but, theoretically, it should work by removing nutrients that would otherwise reach the membranes and fuel biofilm growth on them.

Published January 30, 2017 12:32 by Mike Dempsey, Doctor

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