What is a biofilm and why is it difficult to remove from your pipes?
Bacterial microbes exist in every water system in the world. They are perfectly adapted to the environmental conditions, making the disinfection process a difficult task. As microbes grow, they attach themselves to wetted surfaces in the water distribution system. They protect themselves from disinfecting agents by forming biofilms. A biofilm contains a group of bacteria enveloped within a polymeric slime that ensures adhesion to the pipe surface. Thus, they are several hundred times more resistant to the action of various disinfectants and antibiotics than the same microorganisms grown in suspension.
Within the biofilm, the group of bacteria act as a temporary multicellular organism, capable of adapting itself to the environmental conditions and available nutrients.
How and where do the biofilms exist?
Biofilms occur within pipes, tanks, industrial cooling towers, heat exchangers, hospital plumbing system, filter media, etc. Because of biofilms’ complex architecture, stabilized by its attached mechanisms and ability to adapt to the environmental conditions, they are very difficult to remove. Its cells are specialized to perform different roles, similar to the cells within a multicellular organism, enhancing the survival of the entire group under adverse conditions and increasing chlorine demand.
These resistant groups of microorganisms are an important source of contamination for the water and, subsequently, for the final product, which can lead to the alteration of the product, food poisoning outbreaks or other negative effects on the customers. After all, pathogens, which can cause human disease, can survive within a biofilm.
How does a Clearitas® program remove biofilms?
Blue Earth Products® has created a unique solution, Clearitas, specifically engineered to remove organic materials and deposits in any water pipe under normal and regular operation. By breaking down the organic materials that protect biofilm and bind deposits together, Clearitas disrupts the fouling that affect the quality of your water and harbour water-based and water-borne pathogens and viruses in addition to non-pathogenic bacteria that cause corrosion and taste and odor issues. By removing these deposits, Clearitas makes your primary disinfectant, usually chlorine or chloramine, more effective while lowering the dose of the primary disinfectant required to maintain a safe residual.
Clearitas, a bulk, NSF 60 (certified safe for all potable water) product restores the health of your water distribution simply, and constantly without involving complex maintenance operations. Our product is applied with chlorine tolerant pumps and flow paced meter and cleans thoroughly removing all the contaminants that have accumulated in the pipes over time without negatively affecting water quality. Clearitas is environmental friendly and safe for all drinking water.
A solution for the highly resistant and difficult to remove biofilms, which is also easy to apply and safe for the employees and for the entire process, this Clearitas program is the perfect choice for distribution system cleaning. Furthermore, Clearitas ensures a time saving, convenient, and efficient cleaning process that restores your pipes and improves your operational efficiency.
References Link to Google ebook
<br< Fraise, A.P., Lambert, P.A., and Maillard, J.-Y. (2004). Russell, Hugo & Ayliffe’s Principles and Practice of Disinfection, Preservation & Sterilization, 4th edition. Blackwell Publishing Ltd Mp
Photo credit: paulschulze.photo / Photo / CC BY
DOWNLOAD GETTING TO KNOW CLEARITAS