Characterization of bacterial biofilms isolated from drinking water distribution system in southeastern Algeria
This study attempted to determine the influence of the characteristics of drilling sources and materials used in drinking water distribution systems on the development of biofilms in pipe networks in southeastern of Algeria (Ouargla). Our samples were selected according to the aquifer, pipe material and age in this region. To carry out our experiments, we mechanically took 27 biofilm samples from several distribution pipes based on different types of materials: copper, polyvinyl chloride (PVC) and high-density polyethylene (HDPE), and from different aquifers (Albian, Senonian and Miopliocene). Several bacterial strains have been identified using the Matrix-Assisted Laser Desorption/Ionization-Time of Flight Mass Spectrometry (MALDI-TOF) technology. The results obtained demonstrate that copper pipes appear to be unfavorable to bacterial colonization while a wide variety of bacterial species has been found on PVC and HDPE materials. The capacity of the isolated strains to form biofilms has also been studied in vitro. The majority of the isolated strains, cultivated in simple and mixed biofilm, showed a strong capacity to form biofilms.