On-line monitoring of biofilm formation in a brewery water pipeline system with a fibre optical device

2003 ◽  
Vol 47 (5) ◽  
pp. 19-24 ◽  
Author(s):  
A. Tamachkiarow ◽  
H.-C. Flemming
Keyword(s):  
Water System ◽  
Automatic Monitoring ◽  
Early Warning Systems ◽  
Pipeline System ◽  
Warning Systems ◽  
Biofilm Growth ◽  
Optical Device ◽  
On Line ◽  
Water Pipeline ◽  
Non Destructive

Any advanced anti-fouling strategy must be based on early warning systems which allow for timely, precisely directed and optimized countermeasures. Such systems must be able to detect biofilm growth on representative surfaces. In order to meet this requirement, a fibre optical device (FOS) has been developed. It is based on light which is scattered by objects deposited on the tip of an optical fibre. A receiving fibre collects the signal and forwards it to a detection and quantification unit. Both the sending and the receiving fibre are mounted in a measuring head which is integrated evenly on the inner surface of a water pipeline at representative sites. This device was applied to a water system of a brewery in order to put its reliability to test under practical conditions. The FOS detected the build-up of a deposit which was identified independently as consisting of microorganisms, i.e., a biofilm. A stable, well detectable and reproducible signal could be obtained above a colonization of 105 cells cm−2. Adjustment of the sensitivity of the amplifier allowed for detection of biofilms up to 1010 cells cm−2. Cleaning countermeasures could be detected clearly by a decrease of backscattered light intensity. The system proved to be suitable for on-line, non-destructive, real-time and automatic monitoring for a period of almost two years, and thus, provides an important constituent for an advanced anti-fouling strategy.

Advancements in Toxicity Testing Applied to Design and Control of Biological Processes

1991 ◽  
Vol 23 (1-3) ◽  
pp. 271-282 ◽  
Author(s):  
E. E. Herricks ◽  
B. E. Rittmann ◽  
C. P. L. Grady ◽  
D. Pascoe ◽  
L. Somlyódy ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Toxicity Testing ◽  
Cost Effective ◽  
Early Warning Systems ◽  
Line Detection ◽  
Ecological Framework ◽  
Biological Processes ◽  
Warning Systems ◽  
Ecosystem Disturbance ◽  
On Line ◽  
And Control

Toxicity testing is an essential tool for assessing the effects of, and fate of, many low-concentration toxicants in wastewater treatment systems. Toxicity testing can be divided into two parts: diagnostic toxicology evaluates the toxicity of a contaminant, effluent, or process, and toxicological engineering bases engineering design on the removal or production of toxicity. This paper presents six recent advancements in diagnostic toxicology and toxicological engineering identified by members of the Specialty Group on Hazard Assessment and Control of Environmental Contaminants. They are: (1) an ecological framework for applying toxicity testing, (2) biological early warning systems for on-line detection of toxic inputs, (3) inplant testing to detect and mitigate a toxic upset, (4) methods for rapid and cost-effective detection of genotoxins, (5) an approach for determining what discharged component must be controlled to eliminate an ecosystem disturbance, and (6) an application of process kinetics to design biological processes that are resistant to toxic upsets.

scholarly journals Detection and sizing of extended partial blockages in pipelines by means of a stochastic successive linear estimator

2013 ◽  
Vol 16 (2) ◽  
pp. 248-258 ◽  
Author(s):  
Christian Massari ◽  
Tian Chyi J. Yeh ◽  
Marco Ferrante ◽  
Bruno Brunone ◽  
Silvia Meniconi
Keyword(s):  
Water System ◽  
Diameter Distribution ◽  
Linear Estimator ◽  
System Management ◽  
Pipeline System ◽  
Theoretical Formulation ◽  
Current State ◽  
Water Pipeline ◽  
Numerical Case Study

Effective water system management depends upon knowledge of the current state of a water pipeline system network. For example, in many cases, partial blockages in a water pipeline system are a source of inefficiencies, and result in an increase of pumping costs. These anomalies must be detected and corrected as early as possible. In this study, an algorithm is developed for detecting blockages by means of pressure transient measurements and estimating the diameter distribution resulting from their formation. The algorithm is a stochastic successive linear estimator that provides statistically the best unbiased estimate of diameter distribution due to partial blockages and quantifies the uncertainty associated with these estimates. We first present the theoretical formulation of the algorithm and then test it with a numerical case study.

Role and levels of real-time monitoring for successful anti-fouling strategies - an overview

2003 ◽  
Vol 47 (5) ◽  
pp. 1-8 ◽  
Author(s):  
H.-C. Flemming
Keyword(s):  
Real Time ◽  
Biological Information ◽  
Chemical Information ◽  
Surface Sampling ◽  
Biofilm Growth ◽  
Physico Chemical ◽  
On Line ◽  
Real Time Information ◽  
Non Destructive

Biofouling is a biofilm problem and any anti-fouling strategy will be greatly improved if the site and extent of biofilm growth can be monitored. A suitable monitoring system will provide early warning capacity and allow for specific optimization of countermeasures. As water samples do not give reliable information about biofilms, surface sampling is mandatory. Conventional biofilm monitoring techniques rely on removal of material from representative sites or on analysis of test surfaces which have been exposed. This procedure is time consuming and, depending on the parameters to be measured, requires skilled laboratory personnel. There is a strong demand for direct, on-line, in situ, continuous, non-destructive real-time information about biofilms in a system. Such demands can only be fulfilled by physical or physico-chemical methods, a number of which have already been successfully applied for biofilm monitoring. It is important, however, to be aware of the actual parameter they refer to in order to interpret the data properly. Three levels of information can be identified: (i) systems which detect increase and decrease of material accumulating on a surface but cannot differentiate between biomass and other components of a deposit, (ii) systems which provide biological information and distinguish between biotic and abiotic material, and (iii) systems which provide detailed chemical information. Examples for all three levels are presented and discussed.

Monitoring of biofilms in technical systems - a crucial component of advanced anti-fouling strategies

2003 ◽  
Vol 3 (5-6) ◽  
pp. 199-204
Author(s):  
H.-C. Flemming ◽  
A. Tamachkiarow
Keyword(s):  
Relevant Information ◽  
Early Warning Systems ◽  
Piping System ◽  
Warning Systems ◽  
Crucial Component ◽  
A Cell ◽  
Secondary Procedures ◽  
On Line ◽  
Stable Signal

“Biofouling” is a biofilm problem which is operationally defined. It applies to biofilms which exceed a given threshold of interference. If this is the case, countermeasures are taken. However, conventional antifouling strategies are hampered by some intrinsic problems which can identified as follows: (1) there are no early warning systems, (2) detection of biofouling is not performed on surfaces but by analysis of water samples which will not indicate site or extent of biofilms, (3) disinfection is misunderstood as cleaning, (4) nutrients are not limited although they must be considered as potential fouling biomass, and (5) the efficacy of countermeasures is performed by process performance or product quality. Avoiding mistakes 1–3 and 5 requires monitoring systems which provide relevant information on line, in situ, in real time, non-destructively and suitable for computer-aided automatization. Sample removal, staining or other secondary procedures should not be necessary. A suitable monitoring device is the fibre optical sensor. It consists of a measuring head integrated into the surface to be monitored and contains a sending and a reading optical fibre. If material is deposited on the tip of the fibres, light emitted from the sending fibre will be scattered back by particles and collected by the reading fibre. Increasing deposit accumulation results in an increasing signal of backscattered light. This sensor has been successfully integrated into a water piping system and responded quantitatively to build up and removal of deposits. Under conditions in which the particles were represented by bacteria, a calibration was performed. A stable signal could be acquired above a cell density of 105 cells cm-2. The system is, in principle, suitable to be integrated into membrane modules at representative locations.

Biological Early Warning Systems for Toxicity Based on Activated Sludge Respirometry

1993 ◽  
Vol 28 (11-12) ◽  
pp. 415-425 ◽  
Author(s):  
H. Temmink ◽  
P. Vanrolleghem ◽  
A. Klapwijk ◽  
W. Verstraete
Keyword(s):  
Activated Sludge ◽  
Early Warning ◽  
Treatment Plant ◽  
Early Warning Systems ◽  
Practical Implementation ◽  
Activated Sludge Process ◽  
Warning Systems ◽  
Line Measurement ◽  
On Line ◽  
Toxic Spills

The proper operation of the activated sludge process is endangered by toxic spills in the wastewater that has to be treated. Therefore there is a need for so called biological early warning systems (BEWSs) that can detect toxicity for the activated sludge process and allow operators to take protective actions. Two independently developed BEWSs are described and evaluated. Both systems are based on the on-line measurement of the respiration rate of activated sludge taken from the plant to be protected. Their practical implementation however is different with respect to the way the suspicious wastewater is brought into contact with the sludge. It is illustrated what the consequences of the design choices are with respect to the sensitivity, the response time and the positioning at the treatment plant of these BEWSs.

The CARE Telematics Network for the Surveillance of Influenza in Europe

1995 ◽  
Vol 34 (05) ◽  
pp. 518-522 ◽  
Author(s):  
M. Bensadon ◽  
A. Strauss ◽  
R. Snacken
Keyword(s):  
Public Health ◽  
Early Warning ◽  
Early Warning Systems ◽  
Warning Systems ◽  
Surveillance Networks ◽  
Spanish Flu ◽  
The 1950S ◽  
National Networks ◽  
First Time

Abstract:Since the 1950s, national networks for the surveillance of influenza have been progressively implemented in several countries. New epidemiological arguments have triggered changes in order to increase the sensitivity of existent early warning systems and to strengthen the communications between European networks. The WHO project CARE Telematics, which collects clinical and virological data of nine national networks and sends useful information to public health administrations, is presented. From the results of the 1993-94 season, the benefits of the system are discussed. Though other telematics networks in this field already exist, it is the first time that virological data, absolutely essential for characterizing the type of an outbreak, are timely available by other countries. This argument will be decisive in case of occurrence of a new strain of virus (shift), such as the Spanish flu in 1918. Priorities are now to include other existing European surveillance networks.

Assessment of Food Security Early Warning Systems for East and Southern Africa

10.1596/29269 ◽  
2018 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ademola Braimoh ◽  
Bernard Manyena ◽  
Grace Obuya ◽  
Francis Muraya
Keyword(s):  
Food Security ◽  
Southern Africa ◽  
Early Warning ◽  
Early Warning Systems ◽  
Warning Systems
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