Fueltec Systems LLC | (828) 212-1141 | www.FueltecSystems.com 9
BIO-VAC™270 Product Manual
Quality First. 100% Made in U.S.A.
MICROBES FOUND IN DIESEL FUEL
Virtually all diesel fuel contains
some moisture. Additional
water accumulates in tanks as
atmospheric moisture condenses.
Moisture accumulates in diesel
tanks as condensate droplets
on exposed tank surfaces, as
dissolved water in the fuel and as
water bottoms beneath the fuel
microbes depend on this water
for growth.
Additionally, microbes depend on the organic and inorganic molecules in diesel
fuel for nutrition. Consequently, some species attack the fuel directly, growing
at the expense of hydrocarbons and non-hydrocarbon fuel components. The
biodegradation of fuel, in support of microbial growth, is a direct impact of
contamination.
Color, heat of combustion, pour point, cloud point, detergent and anti-corrosive
properties change as microbes selectively attack fuel components. Sulfur-
containing molecules are metabolized by a series of species, leading ultimately to
the production of high concentrations of hydrogen sulfi de.
In addition to creating new cells, many microbes produce metabolites which
promote further attack. Surfactants facilitate the emulsifi cation of fuel, leading to
the formation of a cloudy, invert-emulsion layer above the fuel/water interface.
Polysaccharide slimes create microenvironments wherein mixed populations
(consortia) of bacteria and fungi carry out biodegradation reactions that would
be impossible for a single species outside the microenvironment. The slime also
serves as a barrier, protecting the microbes from preservatives.
A variety of organic acids (primarily 2 - 4 carbon atoms) are also produced as by-
products of bacterial and fungal growth.
