Biocide testing

 Sessile bacteria time kill test

 This test uses a mild steel coupon that has been exposed to a bacteria
culture for at least 14 days. This period is sufficient to allow for the
development of a sessile population on the surface of the coupon. The
contaminated coupon is then used in the time kill test.
 Once a biocide has been selected, a field test is conducted. In general,
batch treatment is more economical than continuous treatment. However,
the effectiveness and economics of chemicals are dependent on field
producing conditions.
 It should be noted that generally, because of the enormous complexity and
density of microorganisms, there is no single biocide that is completely
effective. For this reason, and because bacteria can adapt themselves
(i.e., build up an immunity) to a biocide, it is customary to use alternate
The Test Method for Killing
 Take 5 reagent bottles of 1000 mL, 800mL seawater sample and sodium
hypochlorite or benzalkonium bromide with different dosage are added in
each bottle, and bottles are placed in the water of the constant
temperature water-bath at 45℃. After biocide is added in the seawater,
sampling analysis of residual chlorine and bacteria is immediately done,
and it is done again after 2h. After 24h, sampling analysis of residual
chlorine and bacteria should be done and a certain amount of biocide is
added in each bottle to make the biocide concentration double, then
sampling analysis of residual chlorine and bacteria is done. After 48h,
sampling analysis of residual chlorine and bacteria should be done.
Oxygen scavengers
Chemical scavengers are used to remove dissolved oxygen from water-flow streams of less
than 10,000 B/D. There are a number of compounds commercially available to remove
dissolved oxygen, and all can be considered as a source of sulfur dioxide or sulfite. These
include:
sodium sulfite (Na2SO3)
sulfur dioxide (SO2)
sodium bisulphate (NaHSO3)
sodium metabisulfite (Na2S2O5)
ammonium bisulfite (NH4HSO3)
Ammonium bisulfite is commonly used on river and aquifer water systems because it is
relatively stable to the atmosphere (solutions in storage tanks will not absorb oxygen from the
air), and its rate of reaction with dissolved oxygen is catalyzed by the trace of metals,
particularly iron, in the water. It is, thus, the most convenient chemical to use. To speed the
reaction rate, a catalyst such as cobalt is often required.
Antifoam

Some water systems (e.g., seawater) have a tendency to create foam when subjected to high
pressure-drop or turbulence conditions. This foaming is very unpredictable and can cause
enormous problems, particularly in deaerator columns. In the deaerator, foaming may result
in failure of the level control on the base of the column and reduced oxygen-removal
efficiency.
Antifoam chemicals are polyglycols or silicones contained in a solvent that is fully water-
soluble or water-dispersible. At dose levels usually less than 1 ppm, they act by decreasing
the surface tension of bubbles so that they expand and coalesce. They are dosed to the inlet
of the deaerator before the inlet distributor. In water-injection systems, the polyglycols are
preferred because silicones produce fine precipitates, which can cause injectivity loss.
However, silicones may be required in difficult applications, usually in low-temperature
vacuum systems or when the foaming tendency is very high.
Surfactant

 Surfactants are normally water-based alkaline cleaners that are

biodegradable. These chemicals are used as detergents in cleaning oil films
from equipment surfaces. A common use for surfactants is to aid in
cleaning media filters. Because of its physical properties, oil is not easily
removed from media filters during normal backwashes. To properly remove
oil, a surfactant is slug-dosed into the media filter inlet and flushed into
the bed. The combination of detergent and air scour breaks the viscous
bond between the anthracite and oil and allows the particles to separate.
The oil is removed during the subsequent backwash steps.
Polyelectrolites
 Polyelectrolites refers to all water-soluble organic polymers. The
polyelectrolites are long chain molecules, frequently polyamines or
polyacrylamides. Their overall charge and size destabilize colloids and
provide agglomeration of solids (flocculation). In water treating, the term
“polyelectrolyte” is generally used in reference to two types of chemicals.
 The first type is the polymeric primary coagulant; these chemicals are
cationic, with relatively low molecular weight (<500,000).
 The other type of polyelectrolite is the polymeric flocculant or coagulation
aid, which may be anionic, cationic, or approaching a neutral charge.
Typical molecular weight may be as high as 20,000,000.
 Polyelectrolites serve to bridge particles together. Only a small amount of
this polymeric chemical is needed to produce a significant effect on the oil
droplets and solids. The normal application concentration for this chemical
Scale Inhibitors
 Scale inhibitors vary in type and mode of action. Individual chemicals
operate with one or more of the following mechanisms.
Sequestering
These compounds bind to one of the species that would precipitate, making it unavailable for
precipitation. A common example is EDTA, which forms a claw-like arrangement attached to
calcium ions called a chelate, preventing it from being precipitated as calcium carbonate or
sulfate.
Dispersion
These compounds can actually disperse scale already attached to surfaces. They can be used
to clean up scaled systems but must be used with caution because they could result in
releasing suspended solids that could block the formation.
Crystal modifiers
These compounds, such as complex phosphates, interfere with the crystal growth of the
scale, preventing further growth.
Chemical Types
 Chelants. Chelant compounds form soluble complexes with divalent
compounds, such as
 calcium and magnesium, or with trivalent metals. The most common
chelants are EDTA and
 NTA. These compounds are used frequently in steam-generator treatment
because they are thermally
 stable at elevated temperatures. Stoichiometric levels are necessary for
the use of
 chelants in controlling scale formation.
 Polyacrylates. The polyacrylates contain the carboxylic acid group.
Depending upon its composition,
 it is thermally stable to a relatively high temperature and can be used to
Chemical Types
 Phosphonates. These organic phosphorous compounds have been used for
controlling iron
 or hardness salts and form inhibitive films along metal surfaces. It is
normally thermally stable
 to 250°F but can go higher in the absence of oxygen.
 Polyphosphates. Polyphosphates of various chain lengths are used for
controlling hardness
 and iron scales. They are very effective chemicals; however, their thermal
stabilities are lower
 than the phosphonates.