Bacterial Kinetics of Sulfur Oxidizing Bacteria and Their Biodeterioration Rates of Concrete Sewer Pipe Samples
Publication: Journal of Environmental Engineering
Volume 136, Issue 7
Abstract
The importance of bacteria in catalyzing microbially induced concrete corrosion was evaluated. Experiments were conducted to determine the optimum pH and growth kinetics of four selected bacterial strains (Thiobacillus neapolitanus C2, Thiobacillus thioparus H1, Acidithiobacillus thiooxidans, and Acidiphilium cryptum LHET2). Combinations of these strains were inoculated into flasks containing concrete blocks half-submerged in 600 mL of synthetic wastewater with hydrogen sulfide in the headspace air. Controls not inoculated with bacteria lost 0–3 mg/g concrete over 227 days; in the aqueous phase the minimum pH was 6–6.7 and 19–23 mg of calcium/g concrete was released. Systems inoculated with two species of neutrophilic sulfur oxidizing microorganisms (SOM) lost 8 mg/g concrete; in the aqueous phase the minimum pH was 4.5 and 25 mg of calcium/g concrete was released. The concrete samples incubated with neutrophilic and acidophilic SOM and an acidophilic heterotroph experienced the greatest deterioration, with a total mass loss of 13 mg/g concrete, minimum aqueous pH of 3.0, 28 mg calcium/g concrete released, and 47 mg sulfate/g concrete produced.
Get full access to this article
View all available purchase options and get full access to this article.
Acknowledgments
This study was supported in part by Conacyt (Mexican National Science and Technology Council), CCAPAMA, the American Concrete Institute, and the Engineering Excellence Fund at the University of Colorado-Boulder.
References
Alcantara, S. (2004). “Sulfur formation by steady-state continuous cultures of a sulfoxidazing consortium and Thiobacillus thioparus ATCC 23645.” Environ. Technol., 25, 1151–1157.
Aleem, M. (1975). “Biochemical reaction mechanism in sulfur oxidation by chemosynthetic bacteria.” Plant Soil, 43, 587–607.
American Public Health Association (APHA). (1995). Standard methods for examination of water and wastewater, APHA/AWWA/WEF, Washington, D.C.
American Public Health Association (APHA), American Water Works Association (AWWA), and Water Environment Federation (WEF). (1998). Standard methods for examination of water and wastewater, APHA/AWWA/WEF, Washington, D.C.
ASCE. (1989). “Sulfide in wastewater collection and treatment systems.” ASCE manuals and reports on engineering practice no. 69, ASCE, New York.
Atlas, R. (1997). Handbook of microbiological media, 2nd Ed., CRC, Boca Raton, Fla.
Ayoub, G., Azar, N., Fadel, E., and Hamad, B. (2004). “Assessment of hydrogen sulphide corrosion of cementitious sewer pipes: A case study.” Urban Water Journal, 1(1), 39–53.
Bhupathiraju, V., Hernandez, M., Krauter, P., and Alvarez-Cohen, L. (1999). “A new direct microscopy based method for evaluating in-situ bioremediation.” J. Hazard. Mater., 67, 299–312.
Bilgin, A. A., Silverstein, J., and Hernandez, M. (2005). “Effects of soluble ferri-hydroxide complexes on microbial neutralization of acid mine drainage.” Environ. Sci. Technol., 39, 7826–7832.
Bilgin, A. A., Silverstein, J., and Jenkins, J. D. (2004). “Iron respiration by Acidiphilium cryptum at pH 5.” FEMS Microbiol. Ecol., 49, 137–143.
Bock, E., and Sand, W. (1986). “Applied electron microscopy on the biogenic destruction of concrete and blocks-use of the transmission electron microscope for identification of mineral acid producing bacteria.” Proc., 8th Int. Conf. on Cement Microscopy, J. Bayles, G. R. Gouda, and A. Nisperos, eds., International Cement Microscopy Association, Duncanville, Tex.
Borichewski, R. M. (1967). “Keto acids as growth-limiting factors in autotrophic bacteria that share their habitat.” Annu. Rev. Microbiol., 38, 265–292.
Cho, K., and Mori, T. (1995). “A newly isolated fungus participates in the corrosion of concrete sewer pipe.” Water Sci. Technol., 31(7), 263–271.
Cummings, D. E., Fendorf, S., Singh, N., Sani, R. K., Peyton, B. M., and Magnuson, T. S. (2007). “Reduction of Cr(VI) under acidic conditions by the facultative Fe(III)-reducing bacterium Acidiphilium cryptum.” Environ. Sci. Technol., 41, 146–152.
Davis, J., Nica, D., Shields, K., and Roberts, D. (1998). “Analysis of concrete from corroded sewer pipe.” Int. Biodeter. Biodegrad., 42, 75–84.
De Belie, N., Monteny, J., Beeldens, A., Vincke, E., Gemert, D., and Verstraete, W. (2004). “Experimental research and prediction of the effect of chemical and biogenic sulfuric acid on different types of commercially produced concrete sewer pipes.” Cem. Concr. Res., 34, 2223–2236.
Findlay, R., King, G., and Watling, L. (1989). “Microbial biomass in sediments: Efficacy of the phospholipid analysis.” Appl. Environ. Microbiol., 35, 2888–2893.
Fischer, J., Quentmeier, A., Gansel, S., Sabados, V., and Friedrich, C. (2002). “Inducible aluminum resistance of Acidiphilium cryptum and aluminum tolerance of other acidophilic bacteria.” Arch. Microbiol., 178(6), 554–558.
Gottschal, J., Vries, S., and Kuenen, J. (1979). “Competition between the facultatively chemolithotrophic Thiobacillus A2, and obligately chemolithotrophic Thiobacillus and a Heterotrophic spirillum for inorganic and organic substrates.” Arch. Microbiol., 121, 241–249.
Gutierrez-Padilla, M. G. D. (2007). “Activity of sulfur oxidizing microorganisms and impacts on concrete pipe corrosion.” Ph.D. thesis, Univ. of Colorado at Boulder, Boulder, Colo.
Gutierrez-Padilla, M. G. D., Bielefeldt, A., Ovtchinnikov, S., Hernandez, M., and Silverstein, J. (2010). “Biogenic sulfuric acid attack on different types of commercially produced concrete sewer pipes.” Cem. Concr. Res., 40, 293–301.
Hatzinger, P., Palmer, P., Smith, R., Panarrieta, C., and Yoshinari, T. (2003). “Applicability of tetrazolium salts for the measurement of respiratory activity and viability of groundwater bacteria.” J. Microbiol. Methods, 52, 47–58.
Hempfling, W., and Vishniac, W. (1967). “Yield coefficients of Thiobacillus neapolitanus in continuous culture.” J. Bacteriol., 93(3), 874–878.
Hodge, J., and Hofreiter, B. (1962). “Determination of reducing sugars and carbohydrates.” Methods in Carbohydrate Chem., 1, 380–394.
Islander, R., Devinny, F., Mansfeld, A., Postyn, A., and Shih, H. (1991). “Microbial ecology of crown corrosion in sewers.” J. Environ. Eng., 117, 751–770.
Ismail, N., Nonaka, T., Noda, S., and Mori, T. (1993). “Effect of carbonation on microbial corrosion of concretes.” Journal of Construction Management and Engineering, 474(20), 133–138.
Joshi, N., Agate, A., and Paknikar, K. (2000). “Polyamine patterns in iron- and sulphur-oxidizing bacteria isolated from an Indian copper mine indicate requirement of spermidine for growth under acid conditions.” World J. Microbiol. Biotechnol., 16(7), 631–634.
Konishi, Y., Asai, S., and Yoshida, N. (1995). “Growth-kinetics of thiobacillus thiooxidans on the surface of the elemental sulfur.” Appl. Environ. Microbiol., 61(10), 3617–3622.
Kusel, K., Dorsch, T., Acker, G., and Stackebrandt, E. (1999). “Microbial reduction of Fe(III) in acidic sediments: Isolation of acidiphilium cryptum JF-5 capable of coupling the reduction of Fe(III) to the oxidation of glucose.” Appl. Environ. Microbiol., 65(8), 3633–3640.
Leroy, F., and Vuyst, L. D. (2003). “A combined model to predict the functionality of the bacteriocin-producing Lactobacillus sakei strain CTC 494.” Appl. Environ. Microbiol., 69(2), 1093–1099.
Monteny, J., de Belie, N., Vincke, E., Verstraete, W., and Taerwe, L. (2001). “Chemical and microbiological tests to stimulate acid corrosion of polymer-modified concrete.” Cem. Concr. Res., 31, 1359–1365.
Mori, T., et al. (1991). “Microbial corrosion of concrete sewer pipes, production from sediments and determination of corrosion rate.” Water Sci. Technol., 23(7–9), 1275–1282.
Mori, T., Nonaka, T., Tazaki, K., Koga, M., Hikosaka, Y., and Noda, S. (1992). “Interactions of nutrients, moisture, and pH on microbial corrosion of concrete sewer pipe.” Water Resour., 26, 29–37.
Nielsen, A., Vollertsen, J, Jensen, H., Wium-Andersen, T, and Hvitved-Jacobsen, T. (2008). “Influence of pipe material and surfaces on sulfide related odor and corrosion in sewers.” Water Res., 42(15), 4206–4214.
Parker, C. (1945a). “The corrosion of concrete I: The isolation of a species of bacterium associated with the corrosion of concrete exposed to atmospheres containing hydrogen sulfide.” Aust. J. Exp. Biol. Med. Sci., 23(2), 81–90.
Parker, C. D. (1945b). “The corrosion of concrete. 2. The function of Thiobacillus-Concretivorus (Nov-Spec) in the corrosion of concrete exposed to atmospheres containing hydrogen sulphide.” Aust. J. Exp. Biol. Med. Sci., 23(2), 91–98.
Peccia, J., Marchand, E., Silverstein, J., and Hernandez, M. (2000). “Development and application of small-subunit rRNA probes for the assessment of selected thiobacillus species and members of the genus acidophilium.” Appl. Environ. Microbiol., 66(7), 3065–3072.
Pell, M., and Ljunggren, H. (1996). “Composition of the bacterial population in sand-filter columns receiving artificial wastewater, evaluated by soft independent modeling of class analogy (SIMCA).” Water Res., 30, 2479–2487.
Qiu, G., Li, Y., and Zhao, K. (2006). “Thiobacillus thioparus immobilized by magnetic porous beads: Preparation and characteristic.” Enzyme Microb. Technol., 39(4), 770–777.
Rittmann, B. E., and McCarty, P. L. (2001). Environmental biotechnology: Principles and applications, McGraw-Hill, New York.
Roberts, D., Nica, D., Zuo, G., and Davis, J. (2002). “Quantifying microbially induced deterioration of concrete: Initial studies.” Int. Biodeter. Biodegrad., 49, 227–234.
Rodgers, L. E., Holden, P. J., and Foster, L. J. R. (2002). “Culture of Acidiphilium cryptum BV1 with halotolerant Alicyclobacillus-like spp.: Effects on cell growth and iron oxidation.” Biotechnol. Lett., 24, 1519–1524.
Rowe, R., Todd, R., and Waide, J. (1977). “Microtechnique for most-probable-number analysis.” Appl. Environ. Microbiol., 33, 675–680.
Sand, W., Bock, E., and White, D. (1987). “Importance of hydrogen sulfide, thiosulfate, and methylmercaptan for growth of Thiobacilli during simulation of concrete corrosion.” Appl. Environ. Microbiol., 53(7), 1645–1648.
Schnaitman, C., and Lundgren, D. G. (1965). “Organic compounds in the spent medium of Ferrobacillus ferrooxidans.” Can. J. Microbiol., 11(1), 23–27.
Starkey, R. L. (1935). “Products of the oxidation of thiosulfate by bacteria in mineral media.” J. Gen. Physiol., 18, 325–349.
Suzuki, I. (1974). “Mechanism of inorganic oxidation and energy coupling.” Annu. Rev. Microbiol., 28, 85–102.
van den Ende, F., Meier, J., and Van Gemerden, H. (1997). “Syntrophic growth of sulfate-reducing bacteria and colorless sulfur bacteria during oxygen limitation.” FEMS Microbiol. Ecol., 23, 65–80.
Vollertsen, J., Nielsen, A. H., Jensen, H. S., Wium-Andersen, T., and Hvitved-Jacobsen, T. (2008). “Corrosion of concrete sewers—The kinetics of hydrogen sulfide oxidation.” Sci. Total Environ., 394(1), 162–170.
Wakao, N., Yasuda, T., Jojima, Y., Yamanaka, S., and Hiraishi, A. (2002). “Enhanced growth of Acidocella facilis and related acidophilic bacteria at high concentrations of aluminum.” Microbes Environ., 17(2), 98–104.
Wood, A. P., Woodall, C. A., and Kelly, D. P. (2005). “Halothiobacillus neapolitanus strain OSWA isolated from ‘The Old Sulphur Well’ at Harrogate (Yorkshire, England).” Syst. Appl. Microbiol., 28(8), 746–748.
Information & Authors
Information
Published In
Journal of Environmental Engineering
Volume 136 • Issue 7 • July 2010
Pages: 731 - 738
Copyright
© 2010 ASCE.
History
Received: Jul 24, 2009
Accepted: Dec 7, 2009
Published online: Dec 18, 2009
Published in print: Jul 2010
Authors
Metrics & Citations
Metrics
Citations
Download citation
If you have the appropriate software installed, you can download article citation data to the citation manager of your choice. Simply select your manager software from the list below and click Download.