Identification and characterization of slime-producing microorganisms in papermaking water loops using emulsion polymerase chain reaction techniques

Slime formation on paper machines is a critical issue that can substantially impact the quantity and quality of paper production. This problem is caused by the growth of an abundant and diverse amount of bacteria. Through the application of emulsion polymerase chain reaction (emPCR), the bacterial diversity was analyzed on paper machines and more operational taxonomic units (OTUs) were obtained. Eleven types of bacterial phyla were found that have been previously identified, including Proteobacteria (α-, β-, γ-, ε-, and φ-), Bacteroidetes, Firmicutes, Cyanobacteria, Verrucomicrobia, Actinobacteria, Spirochaetes, Chloroflexi, Deinococcus-Thermus, and Armatimonadetes. Furthermore, for the first time, there were representatives of the phyla Lentisphaerae found on paper machines. This study revealed the wide bacterial diversities of slime found on paper machines in China, which was also similar to other industrial processes.