Antibiotics and diesel?

guydickinson

guydickinson

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You know the black sludge that sometimes forms in diesel tanks which is caused, I'm told, by a bacteria? I have heard that some actually put oral antibiotics (the sort that doctors - like me! - might give) into the tank. Is this true or a wind-up?!! (I retrieved loads of the horrible stuff recently after the engine was behaving v badly).
 
I would absolutely question the ethics of that. Anti-biotics should only be available by prescription, and only used for the proper purpose. The evidence is, we'll all be in trouble with super-bugs one day precisely because they have been over-used and abused. Find a different poison for the bugs - maybe the Russians can help there?
 
Obviously not approved for that use but I guess the combustion process should destroy the antibiotics before they are released into the enviroment! However some of the contaminants in diesel are fungal in nature so something for athlete's foot or possibly mildew could also be added. Then you have also got the problem of fat or water soluable as the contaminents live at the water / diesel interphase. Finally
have you concidered the rights of the diesel bug to a full and active life?
Give it a go I would, but not too often with the same active!! Antibiotic resistant diesel bug, a sort of marine MRSA, wouldn't be a whole lot of fun!!

Bill
 
Perhaps you could consider prescribing Soltron to a patient needing an antibiotic. God knows it is difficult enough to get an antibiotic on the NHS these days, even if you get past the engaged tone or the dragon on reception. /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif
 
I believe the ethics of this are certainly rather dubious but would also suggest that as a doctor antibiotics are either "wide spectrum" or specific to a certain bug. What you propose will therefore almost certainly be less effective than a "designed" product and will not clear sludge once formed.
There are many additives specifically designed to dose diesel. Personally I don't like soltron as the makers won't disclose what it is and it works by enzymic principles, breaking down a sludge already formed into a form that in theory will be digested by your engine. As I respect my fuel pump and don't want blocked filters I would rather flush out and clean a contaminated system, disposing of the residue in an environmentally friendly way and then dose with one of the tried and tested additives available at all good chandlers that prevent the problem rather than dealing with the symptoms after infection has taken place. As a doctor is this not what you would prefer for your patients? Prevention rather than cure?
 
Whilst I share a similar view of Soltron, most doctors I know would - if possible - rather treat something with a suitable drug and let the body dispose of the waste products of infection etc, rather than amputate.
 
Thanks. Must admit I hadn't considered the poor old bug's quality of life!! I heard that in a certain part on the south coast of Cornwall, oxytetracycline is the preferred choice! Interestingly a Condor ferry marine engineer told me once that one ferry had the "bug" (whatever it is - fungal or bacteria) and another didn't. The second ferry needed some emergency diesel and they transferred some (unknowingly I guess) from the infected ferry. Within a couple of weeks second one's tanks were riddled! Love to know more details about the exact microbiology - have there been any articles?. By the way, if antibiotic resistance is of concern, then see how much antibiotic is thrown into the environment by the agricultural industry daily. Masses. As you say, here the antibiotic would be destroyed in the engine...not that I am thinking of doing it, you understand!!! Just curious.
 
Does any of this apply to petrol? /forums/images/graemlins/confused.gif

Would seem like a brilliant terrorist tactic - infect the petrol where it's sourced, and then let it wreak havoc amongst the decadent western consumers...

Yes yes, I know, the refining process would remove the bug before it got to us. Still, it's a good premise for the next James Bond villain. /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif
 
If the claims for Soltron are true, the pump will be OK, if not, surely the makers or promoters of Soltron will stand behind their claims and step forward with an engineer and new pump!
 
I have never heard of it affecting petrol, and I don't think it can.

The "only" solution in my view is to clean it all out, then wipe some soltron or fuel set round the tank, then fill up again. Keep your tanks as full as possible (to prevent any condensation from the air space above the diesel) and check regularly.

NB our eberspacher was the first to cough with our diesel bug - the engine never noticed it. Still worth replacing your filters after cleaning the tank, since there will be some bug in there too and I believe it can survive there and grow.

Most of this is repeated advice from these fora in the past.

Pops
 
Fuel magnets come and go, indeed Volvo were promoting these at one point. I'm afraid I'm not convinced.

Diesel biocide is an established and accepted treatment.

Enzyme based treatments seem very plausible, and have been vigorously recommended on here (by people who have used them).

If the resultant fuel and enzyme waste will pass through the fine filter, your injection pump will pump it, and your diesel engine will happily try to burn it.

Like boatmike, I am somewhat put off by the lack of concrete evidence for enzyme based treatments.
 
I use Soltron
had contamination in the filter this summer LeytonC ( supplier on here ) asked for a sample have yet to hear from him!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! /forums/images/graemlins/confused.gif
VERY BAD PR on HIS PART /forums/images/graemlins/mad.gif /forums/images/graemlins/mad.gif /forums/images/graemlins/mad.gif /forums/images/graemlins/mad.gif
 
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I use Soltron


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You could always try Startron (the Starbrite-badged US Soltron), which you can get in Fox's Chandlery.
 
It would be very interesting to draw some contaminated fuel off and try an antibiotic in a flask on the bench. Possibly try Soltron in another sample!

Is there one "diesel bug" or are there several types?
 
I can't let the accusation of the ag industry "throwing antibiotics into the environment” go as I am part of the ag industry and spend most of my time tracking down what we throw into the environment. I can't speak for the animal lot where I'm sure antibiotics are excreted in the same way that the human animal excretes them, but as far as crops are concerned no antibiotics are used. Fungicides, herbicides and insecticides yes. We spend many millions of $ every year understanding the environmental fate of products before they can be licensed. Most have a half life measured in days. In the EU all active substances and all products have to be re-registered every 10 years this means that the science is constantly updated to modern standards.

Bill
 
Think we might be getting a bit off track here ..but..(!) yes I meant the animal lot. I once wrote to an "expert" in a medical journal about over-use of antibiotics. He agreed but as an aside pointed out that when you give broad spectrum antibiotics to cattle, pigs etc just to make them grow bigger (less infections likely I guess) it puts it all into proportion. In medicine these days we are all v careful to avoid using as resistance is a major problem (not likely to be exacerbated by dosing diesel tanks by the way! - which I'm not proposing anyway! Just academic interest).
 
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