BCA, INC.
BIODETERIORATION CONTROL ASSOCIATES, INC.
MICROBIAL CONTAMINATION CONTROL SERVICES
What's New - November 2011
STLE Recording of
Real-time
Testing of Bioburdens in Metalworking Fluids Using Adenosine Triphosphate as a
Biomass Indicator.
A webinar recording of the Wilbur C. Deutsch Memorial Award winning paper that Fred Passman presented at STLE's
annual meeting is now available for viewing at http://www.stle.org/events/annual/awards.aspx.
This webinar discusses the complrensive process by which the test method that was ultimately developed into ASTM E2694
was vetted in the laboratory and in a 12-week field evaluation at Caterpillar, East Peoria, IL.
12th International Conference on the Stability and Handling of Liquid Fuels
Now available: Can Non-Chamical Antimicrobial Devices Replace or Augment Fuel-Treatmen Microbicides - Presented at 12th Intl. Conf on Stability & Handling of Liquid Fuels, 16-20 October 2011, Starasota FL. Fred Passman and his co-authors Gerry Munson and Robert Kauffman evaluate alternative non-chemical technologies; evaluting them for their ability to inhibit microbial growth & proliferation in fuels and fuel systems
ASTM D 7464 Standard Practice for Manual Sampling of Liquid Fuels, Associated Materials and Fuel System Components for Microbiological Testing
Not exactly breaking news, but the publication of D7464 in the ASTM Annual Book of Standards hasn't been
mentioned in earlier What's New postings. Initally intended to be a few paragraphs niserted into the exisiting
a comprehensive set of instructions for collecting and handling fuel and fuel system sample when those samples will
be tested for microbial contamination. Read more...
Links to Passman Webinars and Podcasts!
Visit BCA's Annotated List of Other Useful Links to find hyperlinks to Fred Passman's webinar and podcast recordings.
What's New - June 2011
STLE Univestity Webinar - Emerging Issues in MWF Microbiology: Biofilm Control
Fred Passman will be presenting a webinar on Monday 20 July 2011 from 1:00 PM until 2:00 PM
(Eastern Daylight Time). During the webinar he'll be discussing key concepts that industry
stakholders must understand in order to effectively control biofilm accumulation in MWF systems.
For more information see the Webinar flier visit www.stle.org or contact Kara Lemar, STLE
education manager at klemar@stle.org.
What’s New – APRIL 2011
ASTM
APPROVES
NEW FUEL AND FUEL-ASSOCIATED WATER TEST METHOD
An ASTM Standard Test Method, based on LuminUltra Technologies’, has just been
approved as
ASTM D 7687, Method for the Measurement
of Cellular Adenosine Triphosphate in Fuel,
Fuel/Water Mixtures and Fuel-Associated Water with Sample Concentration by
Filtration.
Unlike
Previous ATP test methods, the new Method has been demonstrated to not be
affected by the
Chemical interferences that have limited the overall usefulness of more
traditional methods, such
as ASTM D 4012and D 7463.
BCA ADDS SITU BIOSCIENCES TO LIST OF SYNERGISTIC PARTNERS
Situ Biosciences (www.situbiosciences.com)
is an independent microbiological
lab providing testing service and
microbial consultancy, product formulation and development
guidance on microbial product development and biodegradation testing.
What's New - July 2009
ASTM APPROVES TWO NEW MICROBIOLOGICAL TEST METHODS FOR
METALWORKING FLUIDS
In April 2009, ASTM approved two new Standard Test Methods. E 2657, Method
for
Determination of Endotoxin Concentration in Water-Miscible Metalworking Fluids,
replaces an
older Method E 2250. E 2694, Method for Measurement of Adenosine Triphosphate
in Water-
Miscible Metalworking Fluids,
is a new tool for measuring microbial biomass in MWF in less than
5-minutes (read
more…).
Both new methods are available for download from www.astm.org.
What's New - April 2009
FOR ATP IN FUELS, LUBRICANTS AND METALWORKING FLUIDS SHOW GREAT
PROMISE
Recently approved ASTM D 7463 (ATP in Fuel) works great for rapidly determining
biomass in
conventional fuels. However, D7463 depends on an aqueous extraction step in
which the
extraction reagent pulls microbes out of the fuel sample. This step makes it
impossible to use
the method for determining ATP in fuels that retain water (for example
ethanol-blended
gasolines and some biodiesel fuels), or from high water-content fluids like
metalworking fluids.
recently, working in collaboration with LuminUltra Technologies, LTD, BCA has
developed a
method that overcomes these problems. Biomass in fluid samples is first
concentrated by
filtration. Non-biomass contaminants retained on the filter are rinsed off using
a proprietary
rinsing agent (U.S. patent pending). This step removes chemicals that typically
interfere with
the ATP test. The contaminant-free cells retained by the filter are then treated
to release their
ATP. The evaluation of this new method for use in biodiesel and ethanol-blended
fuels was
presented at a conference in January (see
Using ATP to Quantify Biomass in Fuel Systems).
The
results of a three-month, 12-system field evaluation of ATP testing in
metalworking fluids will be
presented in May at this year's STLE Annual Meeting. Proposed new Standard Test
Methods for
ATP in fuels and metalworking fluids, respectively, are currently being balloted
within ASTM.
Watch this page for further developments!
What's New - January 2009
ASTM DEVELOPS NEW METHOD FOR TESTING BIOMASS IN FUELS AND
FUEL-ASSOCIATED WATER
Historical test methods for detecting microbial contamination in fuels (for
example
ASTM
D6974
) depended on the ability of microbes to form colonies on specific growth media.
These
methods were time consuming and typically required a 2-30 day incubation period
before final
results were obtained. ATP (adenosine triphosphate) is a molecule that is
present in all bacteria,
fungi, plant and animal cells. Hence, it is an excellent marker for detecting
biomass. The test
can be performed at the sampling site, and results can be obtained in a matter
of minutes. (learn
more...)
What's New - November-December 2008
Looking Back...A fresh look at five articles that were published in National
Petroleum News in
the 1990's
A look back 1 - Uncontrolled Microbes Eat Earnings
A look back 2 - Knowing When You Have Microbial Contamination
A look back 3 - Controlling Microbial Contamination
A look back 5 - Opening Your Biocide Toolbox
A look back 6 - Microbes and Fuel Retailing
What We Need to Know in Order to Understand the Health Risks of Exposure to
Metalworking
Read paper published in January 2008 issue of Tribology Transactions
Non-Conventional Methods for Estimating Fuel System Bioburdens Rapidly.
Proceedings of the
6th International Filtration Conference, G.B. Bessee Ed. Southwest Research
Institute, San Antonio (2004)
(learn
more...)
Practical Applications: Microbial Problems in Metalworking Fluids.
Understanding four significant factors can help control microbial contamination
in metalworking operations.
(learn
more...)
ASTM DEVELOPS NEW PRACTICE FOR COLLECTING FUEL & FUEL SYSTEM
SAMPLES FOR MICROBIOLOGICAL TESTING
For decades, ASTM D 4057 (Practice for Manual Sampling of Petroleum and
Petroleum Products) for guidance on
how to collect samples. Unfortunately, D 4057 does not provide any infromation
specific to collecting samples one
which microbiological tests will be performed. In August 2008, ASTM published a
new Standard - D 7464 Practice
for Manual Sampling of Liquid Fuels, Associated Materials and Fuel System
Components for Microbiological
Testing.
(more...)
FUEL AND FUEL SYSTEM MICROBIOLOGY: FUNDAMENTALS, DIAGNOSIS AND
CONTAMINATION CONTROL – A NEW ASTM MANUAL
In June 2003, ASTM International published Manual 47: Fuel and Fuel System
(see
review
).
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