Fungal Biofilms in Different Stages of Water Treatment Plant

Kadhim Shakir, Bushra

	Fungal Biofilms in Different Stages of Water Treatment Plant
Al-Mustansiriyah Journal of Science
Article 1, Volume 23, Issue 8, 2012, Pages 45-52
Author
Bushra Kadhim Shakir
Abstract
Microbial constituents of biofilms in water treatment plant (WTP) were quantified. The biofilms studied were those formed on the surface of flocculation tank,the lining surface of potable water pipes (Preexisting biofilms) in the WTP,new formed biofilms on coverslips in chlorine treatment tank and a hospital water reservoir tank that receive water from the same WTP for three months. Microscopic examination of preexisted biofilms showed that they are built of aggregates of fungal,bacterial and algal cells with nonliving debries. In flocculation tank the biofilm was dominated by the yeasts Candida albicans , C. parapsilosis and coliform bacteria that were found in large uncountable numbers with the yeast Rhodotorula mucilagenosa (173.20 cfu/cm2). Filamentous fungi were Acremonium sp. , Alternaria sp., Aspergillus flavus , A. niger , Penicillium sp. and Rhizopus stolonifer with 13.20 – 66.40 cfu/ cm2 . Biofilm from potable water pipe were dominated by the yeast Candida parapsilosis (uncountable cfu/ cm2) with Rhodotorula mucilagenosa, the filamentous fungi Aspergillus flavus , A. niger and Penicillium sp. with 6.40 – 40 cfu/cm2 . New formed biofilm on coverslips in chlorine treatment tank was dominated by the yeast Rhodotorula mucilagenosa and the coliform bacteria with limited numbers of C. parapsilosis (20 cfu/cm2). That formed in hospital water reservoir was dominated by Rhodotorula mucilagenosa and the coliform bacteria too with C. parapsilosis ,the filamentous fungi Acremonium sp. , Alternaria sp., Aspergillus flavus , A. niger , Penicillium sp. and R. stolonifer with 13.20 – 66.66 cfu/cm2 .

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