Slime Forming Bacteria
SLYM-BART™

SLYM-BART can be used as a simple presence/absence (P/A) test capable of indicating, to some extent, the population size and the types

 
 of SLYM organisms present in the water sample. Slime-producing bacteria live in conjunction with other MIC-producing bacteria such as APB, SRB, and IRB. They are an important part of the MIC process, often acting as the transient from aerobic to anaerobic conditions and as a support system for the corrosion process.

Different microorganisms use various sites along the redox (reduction--oxidation) gradient under a ball to grow. Regular, careful observations are needed to catch the start of growth so the time lag can be determined. Slime-forming bacteria cause very serious engineering problems, because the slime formation can compromise the engineered specifications into many systems. Primarily, the effects of the slime growths are to reduce hydraulic or thermal conductivity and reduce water quality (generally, the first symptom is increased turbidity followed by taste, odor, or color problems). As the slimes slough into the water later during the infestation, expect to see sudden rises in the total organic carbon, increases in aggressivity, and reductions in water quality. This sloughing action causes extreme problems in fire sprinkler systems and other industrial situations.

Slime-producing bacteria can and do live in conjunction with other MIC-producing bacteria such as APB, SRB, and IRB.