Microbial activity is the cause of a variety of problems in water injection systems, e.g., microbial
corrosion, plugging, and biofouling. Efficient monitoring of Saudi Aramco’s vast water injection
system requires the development of online and automated technologies for monitoring microbial
activities in the system. A previous system review and technology screening has identified five
single-analyte strategies [1], which were evaluated in this study with a laboratory-scale setup to
determine their applicability for automated determination of microbial activity in the injection
water system. Four of the five single-analyte measuring principles tested in the laboratory setup
were deemed less suitable for automation and/or reliable for use in the detection of microbial activity
in the company injection water system. These four principles were: luminescence assay for
adenosine-5’-triphosphate (ATP), detection and electrochemical measurements of H2S, determination
of pH by electrochemical sensor, and measurement of oxidation-reduction potential (ORP).
The strategy of staining cells with fluorescent DNA dyes, followed by quantification of fluorescence
signals, was identified to hold, with proper optimization of DNA staining and fluorescence detection,
a very promising potential for integration in automated, online sensors for microbial activity
in the injection water system.
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