Environmental stressors alter the susceptibility of microorganisms to biocides in upstream oil and gas systems

• Published in: International biodeterioration & biodegradation Vol. 169; p. 105385
• Main Authors: Jenneman, Gary E., De Leόn, Kara B.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Barking Elsevier Ltd 01.04.2022; Elsevier BV
• Subjects: Antimicrobial resistance; ATP; Bacteria; Biocide; Biocides; Biofilm; Biofouling; Biological activity; Corrosion; Corrosion rate; Corrosion resistance; Dormancy; Environmental impact; Environmental stress; Gene regulation; Hydrogen sulfide; Metabolism; Metals; Microbial activity; Microorganisms; Nitrite; Oil and gas industry; Persister; Protective coatings; Dormancy; Biofilm; Nitrite; Persister; Antimicrobial resistance; Biocide; ATP
• ISSN: 0964-8305; 1879-0208
• DOI: 10.1016/j.ibiod.2022.105385

Upstream oil and gas systems are negatively impacted by microbial activities that produce hydrogen sulfide gas, enhance corrosion rates of metals, and cause costly damage to infrastructure through biofouling. Although alternatives to biocides such as sulfate removal membranes and corrosion resistant coatings and materials have been developed, biocides and inhibitors still provide the main defense against microbial activity. However, the environmental and economic challenges of employing biocides necessitate oil and gas industries devise better strategies for their use and application. Since oil and gas environments represent physically controlled environments with highly stressed microbial communities experiencing episodes of intermittent slow growth and dormancy, one such strategy can take advantage of environmental stressors (e.g., salinity, starvation, oxygen) to enhance biocide efficacy. Although it is generally thought environmental stressors recruit determinants of resistance in bacteria, there are instances where stress decreases the energy or metabolic state of a cell increasing its susceptibility to some biocides. This review examines stressors in oil and gas environments and provides examples where stress can both increase and decrease biocidal susceptibility. By describing how these stressors and biocides impact metabolic activity as well as affect regulation of genes involved in energy production and conversion, this knowledge can be used to develop new strategies that take advantage of vulnerabilities in bacteria to improve biocide efficacy and reduce environmental threats and operator costs. •Environmental stressors can increase susceptibility to biocides.•Stress eliciting a large energy cost is key to understanding biocide susceptibility.•A model is proposed for biocide efficacy related to the energy state of the cell.•Biocides may be more effective against cells in a low metabolic or dormant state.