After my career as paper industry microbiologist (1983 - 2009) I have totally reoriented towards environmental problems of mining industry today.
Reasons for the closure of the paper microbiology development is the depression of this industrial area. No interest in rapid control methods can be found anymore. Positive attitudes still exist (esp. in Finnish innovation organisations) but "money rules" today. No economical support can be found for e.g. luminometric ON LINE methods from paper companies - and it is really a pity.
Short summary of my career in paper microbiology:
I actually started as environmental microbiologist in HU / Dep.of Microbiology, Helsinki, Viikki. I recall shortly the most interesting projects in the beginning of 80's: cyanobacteria, nitrogen fixation, Bacillus-based insecticides, soil microbiology, coliform research..and then I found myself in the projects of prof. Seppo Niemelä. We were able to perform species analyses of different waste water types and found the best indicators of paper industry effluents which were led to Lake Lohjanjärvi. Growth temperature ranges of most important indicator coliforms were also determined by Tmax method. Several scientific analyses were written and I started my doctoral thesis about environmental and clinical species of a certain coliform. - Thank you, Leena, for your help to detect plasmid-bound antibiotic resistances!
A big chance of my career happened in Autumn 1986 when I was accepted to work as the research microbiologist for Enso-Gutzeit Ltd. I had to leave my doctoral work (all documents still in my book shelf!) but I got a job where I learned everything about paper industry microbiology - from raw materials up to waste waters! There were countless persons who helped me to understand the world of paper making - I will thank them all because the name list would be too long to be published.
After some reorientation in my private life I headed towards Jyväskylä in 2006 and had the great chance to work with late prof. Christian Oker-Blom (R.I.P., Chrisse!). We constructed several project proposals for paper industry with several Finnish and foreign companies but it seemed that there were no money left for this kind of projects in paper companies anymore. Some interesting projects of air quality etc. then follows (thank you, Markus!) in the last years of 00's.
The last post of mine was the key account director of Samplion Ltd. No matter my title, I was able to perform real laboratory evaluations in JAMK laboratory and field tests in paper and paper additive companies - interesting!
In addition to the posts mentioned, I have worked as a part-time teacher for professional teaching organisations (especially TL, AEL, POHTO), companies and universities of applied sciences (especially Imatra, Jyväskylä, Kotka).
Today, as formally retired, I am more and more activated in environmental microbiology (greetings to Helge and BIOTECHTOUCH!). Coming back to those years in Viikki - the circle is now closed. I wonder if I have to reconstruct my blog but let it wait...I'll try to inform my readers in Twitter and Facebook about my reorientation. Please follow the key word "Talvivaara"...!
Showing posts with label paper industry. Show all posts
Showing posts with label paper industry. Show all posts
Wednesday, February 20, 2013
Sunday, April 25, 2010
Trends in environmental microbiology with references from paper industry microbiology
The history of microbiology contains several eras with different targets. I will refer them in this way (based on my over 30 years experience as microbiologist and teacher of microbiology and biochemistry):
In the beginning, cultivation and observation of microorganisms was the main target. Doctors like Pasteur and Koch were very innovative and developed intelligent culture medias and vessels to perform very delicate experiments. The everlasting fight against pathogenic microbes was the primary target but Louis Pasteur started to help eg. wine producers to solve their quality problems, caused by microbes.
The combination of microbiology and biochemistry on the second era was very satisfying by solving questions concerning the huge amount of anabolic and catabolic processes included in microbial growth. More and more were also learned in the area of microbial ecology. Questions like "who? what? when? where? how? why?" were partially solved (ref. MADSEN,E.L. 2008. Environmental Microbiology. From Genomes to biochemistry. Blackwell Publishing).
"Third era" can be described by the novel methods to identify bacteria. Biochemical test kits (API etc.) were replaced by Fatty Acide Methylated Ester method (FAME) by Hewlett-Packard on 80's. After it, molecular biology methods, based on ribosomal RNA and DNA, helped to construct the development lines of microorganisms.
Today is the time of new era. We know the "family trees" of bacteria but we should now continue with environmental microbiology and microbial ecology to solve questions like "How, why, by whom and in which conditions will the raw materials of paper industry be biodeteriorated?", "How can we prevent these processes by setting the process conditions unsuitable for those biochemical processes?", "Can we prevent the growth of biofilms and slimes in an ecological way?", "How to prevent selectively the growth of toxin producers like Bacillus cereus in paper and board processes?", how to fight against Legionella in paper industry?".
Names are not the most important thing. Most important is, how the bacteria act in different ecological niches of a paper machine. This work has to be done by using simulations of paper processes which is possible by wet end simulators of research units (as an example: VTT in Jyväskylä, Finland) and laboratory/field instruments (like biofilm detectors in the processes or PMEU incubators by Samplion Ltd.).
The role of PMEU is getting more and more important because this method helps to detect microbial growth of different types (biofilms included) in a very short period of time as well as to test simultaneously the effects of alternative biocides in small-scale tests whose growth parameters match with the growth conditions in the real processes.
We are - and we shall - turn back to the era of Pasteur & Koch: the names are already known, and we shall now investigate, what the contaminating microbes are doing in the industrial processes and how to prevent losses of raw material, machine stops and poor quality of the products by simulating growth processes in small-scale tests, performed in the laboratory or in the field, by the machies themselves.
In the beginning, cultivation and observation of microorganisms was the main target. Doctors like Pasteur and Koch were very innovative and developed intelligent culture medias and vessels to perform very delicate experiments. The everlasting fight against pathogenic microbes was the primary target but Louis Pasteur started to help eg. wine producers to solve their quality problems, caused by microbes.
The combination of microbiology and biochemistry on the second era was very satisfying by solving questions concerning the huge amount of anabolic and catabolic processes included in microbial growth. More and more were also learned in the area of microbial ecology. Questions like "who? what? when? where? how? why?" were partially solved (ref. MADSEN,E.L. 2008. Environmental Microbiology. From Genomes to biochemistry. Blackwell Publishing).
"Third era" can be described by the novel methods to identify bacteria. Biochemical test kits (API etc.) were replaced by Fatty Acide Methylated Ester method (FAME) by Hewlett-Packard on 80's. After it, molecular biology methods, based on ribosomal RNA and DNA, helped to construct the development lines of microorganisms.
Today is the time of new era. We know the "family trees" of bacteria but we should now continue with environmental microbiology and microbial ecology to solve questions like "How, why, by whom and in which conditions will the raw materials of paper industry be biodeteriorated?", "How can we prevent these processes by setting the process conditions unsuitable for those biochemical processes?", "Can we prevent the growth of biofilms and slimes in an ecological way?", "How to prevent selectively the growth of toxin producers like Bacillus cereus in paper and board processes?", how to fight against Legionella in paper industry?".
Names are not the most important thing. Most important is, how the bacteria act in different ecological niches of a paper machine. This work has to be done by using simulations of paper processes which is possible by wet end simulators of research units (as an example: VTT in Jyväskylä, Finland) and laboratory/field instruments (like biofilm detectors in the processes or PMEU incubators by Samplion Ltd.).
The role of PMEU is getting more and more important because this method helps to detect microbial growth of different types (biofilms included) in a very short period of time as well as to test simultaneously the effects of alternative biocides in small-scale tests whose growth parameters match with the growth conditions in the real processes.
We are - and we shall - turn back to the era of Pasteur & Koch: the names are already known, and we shall now investigate, what the contaminating microbes are doing in the industrial processes and how to prevent losses of raw material, machine stops and poor quality of the products by simulating growth processes in small-scale tests, performed in the laboratory or in the field, by the machies themselves.
Tuesday, November 11, 2008
How much do we understand?
As a microbiologist, IM knows that he can never understand microbial activities comprehensively. This is also known by all his fellows in the field of microbiology.
How to predict the future steps of a microbial population? What are those factors which are important just on this very moment? Do we actually know them?
As an example: Ca2+ is needed for certain bacteria to produce spores. We still cannot, however, predict the sites of sporulation inside the paper machines because other essential triggers for sporulation may not be known by us.
This does not mean that we must rise our hands and thrust only on the old manners (like machine washings and boil-outs, set in annual calendars on the walls of control rooms). IM does not mean that tradition isn't important - in opposite! - but he would still like to have an optimistic view into the future of rapid microbiological process control. Novel ideas like Quality Control tool "HACCP", microbial activity estimations with "ON LINE ATP" and "PMEU" seem to be more and more well-known in P&P industry today.
Specialists and experts of technical issues begin also to understand the basic fact that it is basically impossible to understand all activities of microbial populations totally because the very complicated interactions of living and non-living components of the systems (which is definitely one of the facts in life which we must tolerate). But our "best guesses" can - and must - be derived from our basic knowledge of microbial metabolism, microbial ecology etc. When this expertise will be connected to laboratory and field experiments and experiences of paper process microbiology, the progress in the development towards better microbiological control of paper machine is secured.
- These ideas of paper industry microbiology seem to be very similar with those which must be understood and accepted in global economy today. No one really know what will happen to the infrastructure of the very complicated network of modern capitalism! Just to have ther very best tools for forecasts and planning!
Wednesday, August 13, 2008
Shared responsibility for paper machine hygiene.
Current situation of process hygiene control in paper industry is relatively complicated.
No matter very effective control methods are already available (epifluorescence microscopy, ATP Assay, PCR, PMEU incubations) the roles of paper mills, biocide suppliers and raw material producers are not very clear.
Based on the experiences by Industrial Microbiologist since beginning of 80', it seems that paper mills prefer external services and this tendency is evergrowing today. Biocide suppliers have developed novel analyse methods which can be applied even at the mills, and many raw material suppliers know their response to deliver minerals, starches etc. with good hygienic quality for paper and board mills.
What should still be developed is the active role of paper mills themselves to control their machines. There is no more any need for expensive microbiological laboratories - in opposite, many methods could either be applied by wet end laboratories of the mills or be bought from external companies (ref. BIOTOUCH Service).
Wet end chemistry has already been controlled with ON LINE analyse units by certain institutes in Finland over years. ON LINE microbiological control is also coming soon, referring several current project proposals.
A combination of all parties - paper mills, biocide suppliers and raw material producers - would spare remarkable amount of money by optimizing biocide programs, by planning washing programs, by responsing immediately to hazardous situations and avoiding costs of returned products.
No matter very effective control methods are already available (epifluorescence microscopy, ATP Assay, PCR, PMEU incubations) the roles of paper mills, biocide suppliers and raw material producers are not very clear.
Based on the experiences by Industrial Microbiologist since beginning of 80', it seems that paper mills prefer external services and this tendency is evergrowing today. Biocide suppliers have developed novel analyse methods which can be applied even at the mills, and many raw material suppliers know their response to deliver minerals, starches etc. with good hygienic quality for paper and board mills.
What should still be developed is the active role of paper mills themselves to control their machines. There is no more any need for expensive microbiological laboratories - in opposite, many methods could either be applied by wet end laboratories of the mills or be bought from external companies (ref. BIOTOUCH Service).
Wet end chemistry has already been controlled with ON LINE analyse units by certain institutes in Finland over years. ON LINE microbiological control is also coming soon, referring several current project proposals.
A combination of all parties - paper mills, biocide suppliers and raw material producers - would spare remarkable amount of money by optimizing biocide programs, by planning washing programs, by responsing immediately to hazardous situations and avoiding costs of returned products.
Saturday, August 2, 2008
Evaluation of slimicides for paper machine process waters.
Time series of steel coupons are the common method to evaluate the effects of biocides against slime-forming bacteria in paper machine processes.The installation of coupons inside the machine may not be the main problem. Two other aspects will limit the value of this method:* only one slimicide (= the current slimicide used in the machine) can be tested
* duration of the evaluation may take days...weeks
PMEU Incubator (by FINNOFLAG Oy) has been adopted into biocide and slimicide testing because it gives chance to
* evaluate several biocides/slimicides at the same time
* only hours to days are needed to have the results of evaluations
Picture (above) shows a bacterial population, attached on the surface of a PMEU test coupon, with fibres, minerals and starches. These bacteria stand washing of coupon with water after testing which means that they are "primary attachers" on the surface of steel when immersed in process water of a paper machine.
Saturday, February 23, 2008
A paper machine can be regarded as an ECOSYSTEM, whose conditions are very stable because the strict adjustments of the process. It also acts as a BIOREACTOR with a continuous supply of nutrients and output of aged culture with its metabolites.
An essential feature of a paper machine process is its environmental stability (temperature, pH, redox potential, nutrients, stimulative and inhibitive factors etc.) which leads to the development of a selected, accommodated microbial populations in ecological "niches" all over the machine. The risk of microbial problems cannot usually be taken into account when optimizing these controls. This can lead to an active, waterborne population of various bacteria with total counts of even 1000 000 000 cfu/ml. Many essential raw materials of the paper production like starches, mineral fillers and coating paste components have also beneficial effects on the growth and activity of microorganisms.
These microbiological problems get ever worse by the formation of biofilms and slime layers. Aged biofilms are not only restricted sites of microbial growth but they also release bacteria and bacterial spores into the water circulations of the paper machine.
Storage tanks of raw materials can be regarded as batch fermentors where the typical growth steps LAG, LOG, STAT and KILL can be detected during extended storing periods. A paper machine itself acts like a continuous culture bioreactor or a chemostat, securing stable growt environment of the process-adapted microbial population.
An essential feature of a paper machine process is its environmental stability (temperature, pH, redox potential, nutrients, stimulative and inhibitive factors etc.) which leads to the development of a selected, accommodated microbial populations in ecological "niches" all over the machine. The risk of microbial problems cannot usually be taken into account when optimizing these controls. This can lead to an active, waterborne population of various bacteria with total counts of even 1000 000 000 cfu/ml. Many essential raw materials of the paper production like starches, mineral fillers and coating paste components have also beneficial effects on the growth and activity of microorganisms.
These microbiological problems get ever worse by the formation of biofilms and slime layers. Aged biofilms are not only restricted sites of microbial growth but they also release bacteria and bacterial spores into the water circulations of the paper machine.
Storage tanks of raw materials can be regarded as batch fermentors where the typical growth steps LAG, LOG, STAT and KILL can be detected during extended storing periods. A paper machine itself acts like a continuous culture bioreactor or a chemostat, securing stable growt environment of the process-adapted microbial population.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
