Bilge Water Color/Biological Removal

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Bilge water in ships can sometimes become septic. Direct draining of water from sludge collection tank often seems to facilitate this condition. When this occurs large numbers of sulphate reducing bacteria and other organisms thrive in the bilge. This proves problematic for ship operation as bacteria and bacterial exoskeletons can cause oil content monitor OCM to give positive results. Additionally iron and iron oxide deposit on the glass detector tube surfaces causing the OCM to give false positive readings for oil. This problem is common enough that manufacturers have procedures for cleaning these tubes with mild acids and brushing. This iron oxide also imparts yellowish-orange color to the bilge. The MYCELX color and biological removal unit is specifically made to capture and kill microbes and to precipitate and remove dissolved and suspended iron compounds. This unit is often employed when bilge water oil levels are known to be below 15 ppm and when the oil content monitor continues to read well over 15 ppm. This condition is often charactrised by yellow discoloration of the bilge water and an accompanying sulfurous smell. Recirculation of the bilge water through the unit will cause microbial death within the entire bilge within 24-48 hours. The unit is often effective in a single pass if the bilge water has not had the chance to become overly septic.