Catalase measurement: A new field procedure for rapidly estimating microbial loads in fuels and water-bottoms
- Biodeterioration Control Associates, Inc., Chicago, IL (United States)
- Basic Fuel Services, Dover, NJ (United States)
Low-grade microbial infections of fuel and fuel systems generally go undetected until they cause major operational problems. Three interdependent factors contribute to this: mis-diagnosis, incorrect or inadequate sampling procedures and perceived complexity of microbiological testing procedures. After discussing the first two issues, this paper describes a rapid field test for estimating microbial loads in fuels and associated water. The test, adapted from a procedure initially developed to measure microbial loads in metalworking fluids, takes advantage of the nearly universal presence of the enzyme catalase in the microbes that contaminated fuel systems. Samples are reacted with a peroxide-based reagent; liberating oxygen gas. The gas generates a pressure-head in a reaction tube. At fifteen minutes, a patented, electronic pressure-sensing device is used to measure that head-space pressure. The authors present both laboratory and field data from fuels and water-bottoms, demonstrating the excellent correlation between traditional viable test data (acquired after 48-72 hours incubation) and catalase test data (acquired after 15 min.-4 hours). We conclude by recommending procedures for developing a failure analysis data-base to enhance our industry`s understanding of the relationship between uncontrolled microbial contamination and fuel performance problems.
- Research Organization:
- USDOE Assistant Secretary for Fossil Energy, Washington, DC (United States). Office of Technical Management
- OSTI ID:
- 45055
- Report Number(s):
- CONF-941022-Vol.1; ON: DE95008873; TRN: 95:003336-0011
- Resource Relation:
- Conference: 5. international conference on stability and handling of liquid fuels, Rotterdam (Netherlands), 3-7 Oct 1994; Other Information: PBD: 1995; Related Information: Is Part Of Proceedings of the 5th international conference on stability and handling of liquid fuels. Volume 1; Giles, H.N. [ed.]; PB: 431 p.
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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