Microbiological Aspects of Biofilms and Drinking Water (Microbiology of Extreme and Unusual Environments)

Microbiological Aspects of

BIOFILMS and DRINKING WATER

© 2000 by CRC Press LLC

The Microbiology of

EXTREME AND UNUSUAL ENVIRONMENTS SERIES EDITOR

RUSSELL H. VREELAND

Titles in the Series The Biology of Halophilic Bacteria Russell H. Vreeland and Lawrence Hochstein The Microbiology of Deep-Sea Hydrothermal Vents David M. Karl The Microbiology of Solid Waste Anna C. Palmisano The Microbiology of the Terrestrial Subsurface Penny S. Amy and Dana L. Haldeman The Microbiology and Biogeochemistry of Hypersaline Environments Aharon Oren Microbiological Aspects of Biofilms and Drinking Water Steven L. Percival, James T. Walker, and Paul R. Hunter

© 2000 by CRC Press LLC

Microbiological Aspects of

BIOFILMS and DRINKING WATER STEVEN L. PERCIVAL JAMES T. WALKER PAUL R. HUNTER

CRC Press Boca Raton London New York Washington, D.C.

© 2000 by CRC Press LLC

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Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data Percival, Steven L. Microbiological Aspects of Biofilms and Drinking Water / Steven L. Percival, James T. Walker, Paul R. Hunter. p. cm. -- (The microbiology of extreme and unusual environments) Includes bibliographical references and index. ISBN 0-8493-0590-X (alk. paper) 1. Biofilms. 2. Drinking water--Microbiology. I. Walker, James Thomas. II. Hunter, Paul R. III. Title. IV. Series. QR100.8.B55 P47 2000 628.1′6−−dc21 99-098186 CIP

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© 2000 by CRC Press LLC No claim to original U.S. Government works International Standard Book Number 0-8493-0590-X Library of Congress Card Number 99-098186 Printed in the United States of America 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 0 Printed on acid-free paper

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About the Authors Dr. Steven Percival is qualified from the University of Leeds with a PhD in microbiology specilising in biofilmology. His PhD involved looking at the development and consequences of biofilms in drinking water. He also has an MSc in public health and various other qualifications in microbiology. Presently, Dr. Percival is a senior lecturer in microbiology at University College Chester and head of the Microbiology Research Group. Steven has a broad range of experiences in the problems, detection, and control of biofilms in the water and medical industries and has gained a large amount of experience in microbiology and waterborne diseases as a result of this. His research at present involves looking at Helicobacter pylori, Aeromonas hydrophila, and Mycobacterium avium intracellulare complex in biofilms and drinking water systems. Other projects he is involved in include antibiotic and biocidal resistance, the effects of heavy metals on the attachment of pathogens to surfaces, biodeterioration, and microbially induced corrosion. He has been involved in microbiological consultancy for a number of companies, in particular the Ministry of Defence. Dr. Percival is a member of various organisations including the Society for Microbiology, Society for Applied Microbiology, The International Biodeterioration Society, Biofilm Club, and the International Water Association. He is the secretary of the International Biodeterioration Society and microbiological advisor to the membership committee of the Institute of Biology. Dr. Jimmy Walker obtained an HND in biology at Bellshill College, Scotland before graduating in microbiology from the University of Aberdeen. Jimmy undertook his PhD whilst working at CAMR, investigating biofilms in copper tube corrosion and the survival of Legionella pneumophila. Jimmy has a broad range of experience in the problems, detection, and control of biofilms in the water and medical industries. As a research microbiologist at CAMR, Dr. Walker carries out projects on biofouling often involving category III pathogens such as E. Coli 0157. He is an editorial board member of the International Biodeterioration & Biodegradation Journal and Anti-Corrosion Methods & Materials Journal, and he has published over 40 scientific papers. Dr. Walker is an external PhD examiner at the Robert Gordon’s University in Aberdeen and an external supervisor at the University College Chester. As well as sitting on the committee of the Biofilm Club, he is also the vice president of the International Biodeterioration Society. Prof. Paul Hunter qualified in medicine from Manchester University and then went on to specialise in medical microbiology. He gained his MD for research into the epidemiology of Candida infection. Prof. Hunter is a fellow of the Royal College of Pathologists and a member of the Faculty of Public Health of the Royal College

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of Physicians. He was appointed director of the Chester Public Health Laboratory in 1988 and works as a consultant in medical microbiology, communicable disease control, and epidemiology. He is also visiting professor in microbiology at University College Chester. He has had a continuing interest in water microbiology and waterborne disease for many years and has written Waterborne Disease: Epidemiology and Ecology and he has published over 100 papers in the scientific and medical literature. Prof. Hunter is chair of the PHLS Advisory Committee on Water and the Environment and serves on several other national and international committees and advisory groups.

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Contents About the Authors Preface Chapter 1

Water Supply, Treatment, and Distribution.........................................1

Chapter 2

Epidemiology.....................................................................................15

Chapter 3

Waterborne Diseases..........................................................................29

Chapter 4

Risk Assessment ................................................................................41

Chapter 5

Legislation and Water Quality...........................................................49

Chapter 6

Biofilm Development in General ......................................................61

Chapter 7

Biofilm Formation in Potable Water .................................................85

Chapter 8

Microbes and Public Health Significance.......................................103

Chapter 9

Methods of Sampling Biofilms in Potable Water ...........................155

Chapter 10

Materials Used in the Transport of Potable Water with Special Reference to Stainless Steel and Corrosion....................................171

Chapter 11

Disinfection and Control of Biofilms in Potable Water .................199

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Preface After many years of studying microbiology, biofilms, and public health, it became my ambition to produce a book on these three areas. Having researched substantially into the formation and development of biofilms, particularly in potable water, I felt a book that could consolidate all the information on their public health significance was needed. This book provides a snapshot of public health and water with an appreciation of what a biofilm is and how well it presents a safe haven for pathogens, while factorizing unreported and reported water-related diseases. This book has been written with the help of friends, Dr. Jimmy Walker and Professor Paul Hunter, without whom areas of the book would have been difficult to write. The book is written with a large number of people in mind, but in particular, students, lecturers, researchers, and practitioners in water-related problems. This text is an overview of the public health effects associated with potable water and includes particular reference to the microbiological aspects relating to the development of biofilms. The first five chapters focus on the state of the water supply of the nation, highlighting historical developments and areas of concern. Methods that could be employed to study the epidemiological spread of waterborne infections and methods which are used in surveillance and control of pathogenic microbes are reviewed. Also included is a chapter on legislation and methods which are presently employed for the detection of indicator microorganisms of public health importance in potable water. Chapters 6 to 11 focus particularly on biofilm development within potable water, highlighting the public health threat from this. Also included here is a very large overall review of the microbes of public health importance in potable water and biofilms. Methods used to detect biofilms can be found in Chapter 9. This by no means includes all the methods that can be used to study biofilms but rather it incorporates a large number of methods which have been shown to help in the analysis. Control of biofilms and the methods that are presently involved, including both conventional and biocidal treatments, are reviewed in the final chapter. The particular control methods covered include chlorination, and the modes of action of this and other biocides are also documented. We hope you enjoy reading this book which will hopefully provide an aid to the study of biofilms in drinking water.

© 2000 by CRC Press LLC