Chapter 11 Potential Health Hazard of Bacteria to be Used in Microbial Enhanced Oil Recovery

Publisher Summary This chapter reviews the potential health hazard of bacteria to be used in microbial enhanced oil recovery. Depending on the organism, bacteria can cause illness in human beings in several ways. Some bacteria must be continually present in the body as live entities to cause illness either directly or because of toxins they produce in vivo . Others produce their toxins outside the body and these compounds, when ingested, are responsible for the sickness. Bacteria can enter the body by way of bites, cuts or abrasions, deep wounds, or via the sweat glands, ingestion or inhalation. In addition to infections, produced by active invasion of the body, bacterial preparations, including dried types, such as lyophilized cells can, particularly in susceptible individuals, lead to varying degrees of allergic responses after inhalation. Certain precautions are need to be taken, there appears to be no valid or serious objections to the use of selected strains of bacteria in microbiologically enhanced oil recovery (MEOR) operations. The bacteria should be screened for possible pathogenicity and the microbiologist in charge of the operations should exert rigorous control and dispense the technical information required to maintain the health and safety of oilfield workers and the environment.