Bacterial diversity in biofilms formed on condenser tube surfaces in a nuclear power plant

• Published in: Biofouling (Chur, Switzerland) Vol. 26; no. 8; pp. 953 - 959
• Main Authors: Choi, Dong H., Noh, Jae H., Yu, Ok H., Kang, Yeon S.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: England Taylor & Francis 01-11-2010
• Subjects: 16S rRNA; Alphaproteobacteria - drug effects; Alphaproteobacteria - isolation & purification; Alphaproteobacteria - physiology; Animals; Anti-Bacterial Agents - pharmacology; Aquatic Organisms - drug effects; Aquatic Organisms - isolation & purification; Aquatic Organisms - microbiology; Aquatic Organisms - physiology; Bacteria; bacterial diversity; biofilm; Biofilms - drug effects; Biofilms - growth & development; chlorination; condenser tube; Drug Resistance, Bacterial; Equipment Contamination - prevention & control; Gene Library; Halogenation; Hot Temperature; Infection Control - economics; Infection Control - methods; Molecular Sequence Data; Nuclear Power Plants; Phylogeny; Planctomycetes; Polymerase Chain Reaction; Pseudoalteromonas; Pseudoalteromonas - drug effects; Pseudoalteromonas - isolation & purification; Pseudoalteromonas - physiology; RNA, Ribosomal, 16S - analysis; RNA, Ribosomal, 16S - genetics; Sequence Analysis, DNA - methods
• ISSN: 0892-7014; 1029-2454
• DOI: 10.1080/08927014.2010.533267

To elucidate the bacterial diversity in biofilms formed on a condenser tube from a nuclear power plant, 16S rRNA gene sequences were examined using a PCR-cloning-sequencing approach. Twelve operational taxonomic units were retrieved in the clone library, and the estimated species richness was low (13.2). Most of the clones (94.7%) were affiliated with α-Proteobacteria; Planctomycetes and γ-Proteobacteria were much rarer. Interestingly, except for one clone belonging to Pseudoalteromonas, most of the sequences displayed sequence similarities <97% of those of the closest type strains. Based on 16S rRNA phylogenetic analysis, most bacteria were assigned to novel taxa above the species level. The low species richness and unusual bacterial composition may be attributable to selective pressure from chlorine in the cooling water. To prevent or control bacterial biofilms in cooling circuits, additional studies of the physiology and ecology of these species will be essential.