Characterization of Biofilms and Mineralogical Scale in Underground Injection Well Disposal of Landfill Leachate and Industrial Wastewater Streams

Abstract

Deep-well injection is a cost-effective alternative for industrial wastewater disposal, given the appropriate geology. Fouling of injection well tubing by biofilm or scale is common and reduces the effective diameter of the pipe, which results in increased wellhead pressure and lower injectivity. A detailed microbiological composition of biofilms and abiotic fingerprints use of mineral scale from an injection well has not been reported before. Therefore, biofilm and mineral scale samples from three depth intervals within a deep injection well (surface zone, D1= 0-61 m; intermediate zone, D2 = 62-457 m; and above the injection zone, D3 = 458-884 m) with recurrent biofilm development were collected to characterize the mineral composition and microbial community DNA. X-ray diffraction (XRD) analysis of the solids confirms the composition of the solids collected was mostly calcium carbonate (CaCO 3) with minor contributions from common mineral salts. Microbiological fingerprinting suggests that methanogenic archaea and sulfatereducing bacteria both of which are anaerobic biofilm producers were the most prevalent members of the prokaryotic community at all sampled depths. Methanosarcinae spp. increased with increasing depths, unlike other archaea. A non-pathogenic biofilm-producing Entamoeba dispar was the most prevalent member of the microbial domain (>30%) in all samples but was highest at the middle depth. The Chao alpha diversity indices for bacteria, viruses,

Different Detection and Treatment Methods for <i>Entamoeba histolytica</i> and <i>Entamoeba dispar</i> in Water/Wastewater: A Review

“…dispar in formed biofilms in pipe networks, which is a case presented in the study of Meeroff et al [16]. Although Meeroff et al [16] mentioned several techniques and conditions to penetrate and inactivate biofilm produced by other microorganisms such as Pseudomonas and Giardia lamblia, the recommended inactivation conditions for Entamoeba dispar still remain to be investigated.…”

“…Entamoeba dispar does not only infect human and non-human hosts, but it is also capable of being a pioneering agent to create biofilms. Meeroff et al [16] investigated the microbial community structure formed along the inner walls of an industrial wastewater deep injection disposal well at the Solid Waste Authority (SWA) of Palm Beach County, Florida and identified the most abundant microorganism in the biofilm to be Entamoeba dispar (>30%). The formation of the biofilm reduced the injectivity rate by nearly 40% from 1.…”