Mitigation of biocorrosion of X80 carbon steel by a shale microbiome biofilm using a green biocide enhanced by d-amino acids.

Microbiologically influenced corrosion (MIC) in shale gas field is a major threat with the hydraulic fracturing fluid injected into the subsurface. In this study, the microbiome collected from a shale gas produced water sample was extracted and cultivated in ATCC 1249 medium modified with 10 g/L NaCl anaerobically at 30 °C. d-amino acids, which were reported as biocide enhancers, were found to enhance 2,2-dibromo-3-nitrilopropionamide (DBNPA) biocide on the mitigation of shale microbiome MIC on X80 carbon steel. The combination of 50 ppm (w/w) d-leucine + 50 ppm d-alanine + 1 ppm d-tyrosine had the best enhancement effect on 50 ppm DBNPA with 84 % less weight loss, and 67 % lower corrosion current density (icorr) compared to 50 ppm DBNPA alone. The corrosion data were consistent with the enhanced biofilm inhibition observation. The experimental data also indicated that d-tyrosine used alone at a low dosage of 1 ppm enhanced DBNPA considerably, with 44 % less weight loss and 47 % less icorr. The electrochemical results showed the positive response of shale gas microbiome biofilm to the injected magnetite nanoparticles indicating the extracellular electron transfer might be a main mechanism for its corrosion.

Targeted Delivery of 2D Composite Minerals for Biofilm Removal.

Microbiologically influenced corrosion (MIC) poses considerable challenges in various industries, prompting the exploration of advanced materials to mitigate microbial threats. This study successfully synthesized nanoscale vermiculite (VMT) from natural seawater and utilized it as a foundation to integrate magnetic nanoparticles (Fe3O4) and chlorhexidine acetate (CA) for inhibiting MIC. A comprehensive investigation encompassing the synthesis, characterization, and application of these VMT/Fe3O4/CA composites was conducted to evaluate their antimicrobial effectiveness against Escherichia coli, Staphylococcus aureus, and sulfate-reducing bacteria (SRB), demonstrating an efficacy exceeding 99.5%. Moreover, the composite material demonstrated the capability to align with a magnetic field, enabling precise drug targeting and release, thereby facilitating biofilm removal. This research makes a significant contribution to the advancement of intelligent, efficient, and eco-friendly corrosion protection solutions.

The microbial communities of the rust layer were influenced by seawater microbial communities.

To reveal the responsible microorganisms of microbiologically-influenced-corrosion (MIC), using 16S rRNA and ITS sequencing techniques, we investigated the bacterial and fungal communities in rust layer and seawater. Results show that the corrosion-related genera of Erythrobacter, norank_f__Rhodothermaceae, and Acinetobacter bacteria, as well as Aspergillus fungi, were overrepresented in the rust layer, along with the Pseudoalteromonas and Marinobacterium bacteria in seawater, and Ramlibacter, Aquimarina, and Williamsia bacteria were first detected in the rust layer. SourceTracker analysis revealed that approximately 23.08% of bacteria and 21.48% of fungi originated from seawater. Stochastic processes governed the rust layer and seawater microbial communities, and network analysis showed coexistence and interaction among bacterial and fungal communities. These results indicate that the composition of microbial communities in the rust layer was influenced by the marine environmental microbial communities, which can provide basic data support for the control of MIC in marine-related projects.

Severe Microbial Corrosion of L245 Transportation Pipeline Triggered by Wild Sulfate Reducing Bacteria in Shale Gas Produced Water.

The development of pitting corrosion on L245 carbon steel in a culture medium solution containing sulfate-reducing bacteria (SRB) was investigated. The results showed that the occurrence of corrosion in L245 carbon steel is closely linked to the evolution of biofilm and product film. As the test duration extended, overall corrosion was inhibited. Simultaneously, bacteria beneath the film layer promoted the generation and development of pitting corrosion, and the aggregation of bacteria (colonies) led to the aggregation of pitting corrosion.

Corrosion of Sulfate-Reducing Bacteria on L245 Steel under Different Carbon Source Conditions.

Objective Sulfate-reducing bacteria (SRB) pose a threat to the safe operation of shale-gas-gathering pipelines. Therefore, it is essential to explore the role played by SRB in dedicated pipelines. Methods In this work, the corrosion behavior of SRB was investigated by organic carbon starvation immersion experiments combined with cell number monitoring, corrosion weight loss recordings, morphology and profile observations and electrochemical measurements. Results In experiments with sodium lactate content ranging from 0-3500 ppm, the corrosion rate and pitting depth were the highest at 350 ppm. Conclusions The results indicated that the reduction in carbon sources leads to bacterial starvation, which directly obtains electrons from metals and exacerbates corrosion. It is not appropriate to use the content of bacteria to determine the strength of bacterial corrosion.

Effect of flavin adenine dinucleotide (FAD) on Desulfovibrio desulfuricans corrosion of pipeline welded joint.

The impact of Flavin adenine dinucleotide (FAD) on sulfate-reducing bacteria (SRB) corrosion of a pipeline welded joint (WJ) was investigated under anaerobic condition in this paper. The results showed that the thickness of the corrosion product on heat affected zone (HAZ) was lower than that on base metal (BM) and welded zone (WZ), and the FAD addition enhanced the development of the protruding microbial tubercles on the WJ. The local corrosion degrees of the BM and WZ coupons were significantly higher than that of the HAZ coupon. Besides, the FAD addition simultaneously promoted local corrosion of all three zones of the WJ in the SRB inoculated environment, and the promotion role was much more pronounced on the WZ coupons. The selective promotion effect of FAD on SRB corrosion in the WJ was attributed to the special structure of the WZ, the selected SRB attachment and the FAD/FADH2 redox feedback cycle.

Metal Bionanohybrids against Microbiologically Influenced Corrosion (MIC) Consortia.

In search of new materials that would help to prevent microbiologically influenced corrosion (MIC), we have designed and synthetized six different copper and copper-silver nanoparticle-enzyme hybrids using a mild-conditions method carried out in water and r.t. Characterization analyses exhibited the presence of small crystalline nanoparticles with diameters from 2 to 20 nm. X-ray diffraction determined that the Cu hybrids were composed of different copper species, depending on the synthetic protocol used, while the Cu-Ag hybrids were mainly composed of copper and silver phosphate metallic species. Then, the bacterial viability of three MIC-relevant enrichments, sulfate-reducing bacteria (SRB), slime-forming bacteria (SFB), and acid-producing bacteria (APB), was studied in the presence of the bionanohybrids. The results demonstrated a notable effect of all bionanohybrids against SRB, one of the most prominent bacteria associated with MIC. In particular, Cu-2 and Cu-Ag-2 showed a reduction in bacterial cells of 94% and 98% after 48 h, respectively, at a concentration of 100 ppm. They also exhibited high efficiencies against SFB, with Cu-Ag-1 and Cu-Ag-2 hybrids being the best, with bacterial reduction percentages of 98% after 45 h of exposition at a concentration of 100 ppm. However, in the case of APB, the effect of the hybrids was lost due to the low pH level generated during the experiment. Finally, the capacity of Cu-2 and Cu-Ag-2 to inhibit the adhesion of SRB to the surface of carbon steel coupons was evaluated. Fluorescence imaging of the surface of the coupons at 24 h demonstrated that the presence of the hybrids inhibited the growth of SRB, obtaining a maximum reduction of 98% with Cu-2. Overall, the results of this study demonstrate that these novel nanomaterials have a wide-range antibacterial effect and may have a promising future in the prevention and treatment of MIC.

Two marine sulfur-reducing bacteria co-culture is essential for productive infection by a T4-like Escherichia coli-infecting phage.

The control of microbiologically influenced corrosion (MIC) challenges the oil exploration sector. The MIC results from electrochemical reactions facilitated by microorganisms such as sulfate-reducing bacteria (SRB), which adhere to the surface of the ducts forming biofilms. SRB uses sulfate as the final electron acceptor, resulting in hydrogen sulfide as the final product, a highly reactive corrosive, and toxic compound. Due to the high diversity of the SRB group, this study evaluated the effect of an Escherichia coli phage, with biofilm degrading enzymes, in preventing biofilm formation by microbial consortium P48SEP and reducing H2S production in a complex SRB community. Three phage concentrations were evaluated (104, 108 and 1012 UFP/ml). High and medium phage concentrations prevented biofilm development, as evidenced by scanning electron microscopy, chemical analysis, and cell counts. In addition, the virus altered the expression pattern of some bacterial genes and the relative abundance of proteins related to biofilm formation and cell stress response. Using a complex culture formed mainly by SRB, it was possible to observe the bacterial growth, H2S, and metabolic activity reduction after the phage was added. This study shows for the first time the ability of an E. coli-infecting phage to prevent the biofilm formation of an SRB consortium and infect and replicate at high concentrations on the non-specific host. This new finding turns the use of non-specific phages a promising alternative for the control of biocorrosion in oil and gas installations, on the other side, alert to the use of large concentration of phages and the influence on bacterial groups with geological importance, opening a research field in phage biology.

No signs of microbial-influenced corrosion of cast iron and copper in bentonite microcosms after 400 days.

High-level radioactive waste needs to be safely stored for a long time in a deep geological repository by using a multi-barrier system. In this system, suitable barrier materials are selected that ideally show long-term stability to prevent early radionuclide release into the biosphere. In this study, different container matals (copper and cast iron) and pore water compositions (Opalinus Clay pore water and saline cap rock solution) were combined with Bavarian bentonite in static batch experiments to investigate microbial-influenced corrosion. The increasing concentration of iron and copper in the solution as well as detected corrosion products on the metal surface are indicative of anaerobic corrosion of the respective metals during an incubation of 400 days at 37 °C. However, although the intrinsic microbial bentonite community was stimulated with either lactate or H2, an acceleration of cast iron- and copper corrosion did not occur. Furthermore, neither corrosive bacteria nor conventional bacterial corrosion products, such as metal sulfides, were detected in any of the analyzed samples. The analyses of geochemical parameters (e.g. ferrous iron-, iron-, copper- and potassium concentrations as well as redox potentials) showed significant changes in some cast iron- and copper-containing setups, but these changes did not correlate with the microbial community structure in the respective microcosms, as confirmed by statistical analyses. Hence, the analyzed Bavarian bentonite (type B25) showed no significant contribution to cast iron and copper corrosion under the applied conditions after 400 days of incubation. From this perspective, bentonite B25 could be a suitable candidate as a geotechnical barrier in future repositories.

Effects of marine eutrophication environment on microbial corrosion: A review.

Metal materials undergo severe corrosion in eutrophic environments. The effect of DO decay stimulated by high concentrations of nitrogen and phosphorus pollutants on microorganisms leads to the coupling of electrochemical and microbial corrosion processes. However, there are few studies on microbial corrosion mechanisms in eutrophic environments. This article discusses the corrosive factors of marine eutrophication, summarizes the impact of marine eutrophication on microbial corrosion and the potential mechanisms, including aerobic biofilm corrosion, aerobic & anaerobic mixed biofilm corrosion, and anaerobic microbial electron transfer corrosion, and expounds on the research methods for microbial corrosion of materials serving in estuarine areas prone to pollution. Microbial prevention and control, such as nutrient restriction and microbial interspecies competition, are of research value in the field of green protection. Microbial corrosion mechanisms studies in marine eutrophication environments are significant for environment monitor development, water intake and algae control technologies, and corrosion protection in polluted environments.

Accelerated Iron Corrosion by Microbial Consortia Enriched from Slime-like Precipitates from a Corroded Metal Apparatus Deployed in a Deep-sea Hydrothermal System.

Microbiologically influenced corrosion refers to the corrosion of metal materials caused or promoted by microorganisms. Although some novel iron-corrosive microorganisms have been discovered in various manmade and natural freshwater and seawater environments, microbiologically influenced corrosion in the deep sea has not been investigated in detail. In the present study, we collected slime-like precipitates composed of corrosion products and microbial communities from a geochemical reactor set on an artificial hydrothermal vent for 14.5 months, and conducted culture-dependent and -independent microbial community ana-lyses with corrosive activity measurements. After enrichment cultivation at 37, 50, and 70°C with zero-valent iron particles, some of the microbial consortia showed accelerated iron dissolution, which was approximately 10- to 50-fold higher than that of the abiotic control. In a comparative ana-lysis based on the corrosion acceleration ratio and amplicon sequencing of the 16S rRNA gene, three types of corrosion were estimated: the methanogen-induced type, methanogen-sulfate-reducing bacteria cooperative type, and sulfate-reducing Firmicutes-induced type. The methanogen-induced and methanogen-sulfate-reducing bacteria cooperative types were observed at 50°C, while the sulfate-reducing Firmicutes-induced type was noted at 37°C. The present results suggest the microbial components associated with microbiologically influenced corrosion in deep-sea hydrothermal systems, providing important insights for the development of future deep-sea resources with metal infrastructures.

Enhanced antibacterial and corrosion resistance of copper-containing 2205 duplex stainless steel against the corrosive bacterium Shewanella algae.

2205 DSS is an excellent corrosion-resistant engineering metal material, but it is still threatened by microbiological corrosion. The addition of copper elements is a new approach to improving the resistance of 2205 DSS to microbiological corrosion. In this study, 2205-Cu DSS was compared with 2205 DSS to study its antimicrobial properties and resistance to microbiological corrosion in the presence of the electroactive bacterium Shewanella algae. The results showed that compared to 2205 DSS, the biofilm thickness and the number of live bacteria on the surface of 2205-Cu DSS were significantly reduced, demonstrating excellent antimicrobial properties against S. algae. Electrochemical tests and surface morphology characterization results showed that the corrosion rate and pitting of 2205-Cu DSS by S. algae were lower than that of 2205 DSS, indicating better resistance to microbiological corrosion. The good antimicrobial properties and resistance to microbiological corrosion exhibited by 2205-Cu DSS are attributed to the contact antimicrobial properties of copper elements in the 2205-Cu DSS matrix and the release of copper ions for antimicrobial effects. This study provides a new strategy for combating microbiological corrosion.

Bacterial adhesion and corrosion behavior of different pure metals induced by sulfate reducing bacteria.

The corrosion behaviors of four pure metals (Fe, Ni, Mo and Cr) in the presence of sulfate reducing bacteria (SRB) were investigated in enriched artificial seawater (EASW) after 14-day incubation. Metal Fe and metal Ni experienced weight losses of 1.96 mg cm-2 and 1.26 mg cm-2, respectively. In contrast, metal Mo and metal Cr exhibited minimal weight losses, with values of only 0.05 mg cm-2 and 0.03 mg cm-2, respectively. In comparison to Mo (2.2 × 106 cells cm-2) or Cr (1.4 × 106 cells cm-2) surface, the sessile cell counts on Fe (4.0 × 107 cells cm-2) or Ni (3.1 × 107 cells cm-2) surface was higher.

Corrosive Pseudomonas aeruginosa detection by measuring pyocyanin with a lab-on-fiber optical surface plasmon resonance biosensor in aquatic environments.

Oceanic facilities and equipment corrosion present considerable economic and safety concerns, predominantly due to microbial corrosion. Early detection of corrosive microbes is pivotal for effective monitoring and prevention. Yet, traditional detection methods often lack specificity, require extensive processing time, and yield inaccurate results. Hence, the need for an efficient real-time corrosive microbe monitoring technology is evident. Pseudomonas aeruginosa, a widely distributed microorganism in aquatic environments, utilizes its production of quinone-like compounds, specifically pyocyanin (PYO), to corrode metals. Here, we report a novel fiber optic surface plasmon resonance (SPR) sensor modified by the C-terminal of BrlR protein (BrlR-C), which is a specific receptor of PYO molecule, to detect P. aeruginosa in aquatic environments. The results showed that the sensor had a good ability to recognize PYO in the concentration range of 0-1 µg/mL, and showed excellent sensing performance in real-time monitoring the growth status of P. aeruginosa. With a strong selectivity of PYO, the sensor could clearly detect P. aeruginosa against other bacteria in seawater environment, and exhibited excellent anti-interference ability against variations in pH, temperature and pressure and other interfering substances. This study provides a useful tool for monitoring corrosive P. aeruginosa biofilm in aquatic environments, which is a first of its kind example that serves as a laboratory model for the application of fiber optic technology in real-world scenarios to monitoring biofilms in microbial corrosion and biofouling.

Microbial corrosion of metallic biomaterials in the oral environment.

A wide variety of microorganisms have been closely linked to metal corrosion in the form of adherent surface biofilms. Biofilms allow the development and maintenance of locally corrosive environments and/or permit direct corrosion including pitting corrosion. The presence of numerous genetically distinct microorganisms in the oral environment poses a threat to the integrity and durability of the surface of metallic prostheses and implants used in routine dentistry. However, the association between oral microorganisms and specific corrosion mechanisms is not clear. It is of practical importance to understand how microbial corrosion occurs and the associated risks to metallic materials in the oral environment. This knowledge is also important for researchers and clinicians who are increasingly concerned about the biological activity of the released corrosion products. Accordingly, the main goal was to comprehensively review the current literature regarding oral microbiologically influenced corrosion (MIC) including characteristics of biofilms and of the oral environment, MIC mechanisms, corrosion behavior in the presence of oral microorganisms and potentially mitigating technologies. Findings included that oral MIC has been ascribed mostly to aggressive metabolites secreted during microbial metabolism (metabolite-mediated MIC). However, from a thermodynamic point of view, extracellular electron transfer mechanisms (EET-MIC) through pili or electron transfer compounds cannot be ruled out. Various MIC mitigating methods have been demonstrated to be effective in short term, but long term evaluations are necessary before clinical applications can be considered. Currently most in-vitro studies fail to simulate the complexity of intraoral physiological conditions which may either reduce or exacerbate corrosion risk, which must be addressed in future studies. STATEMENT OF SIGNIFICANCE: A thorough analysis on literature regarding oral MIC (microbiologically influenced corrosion) of biomedical metallic materials has been carried out, including characteristics of oral environment, MIC mechanisms, corrosion behaviors in the presence of typical oral microorganisms and potential mitigating methods (materials design and surface design). There is currently a lack of mechanistic understanding of oral MIC which is very important not only to corrosion researchers but also to dentists and clinicians. This paper discusses the significance of biofilms from a biocorrosion perspective and summarizes several aspects of MIC mechanisms which could be caused by oral microorganisms. Oral MIC has been closely associated with not only the materials research but also the dental/clinical research fields in this work.

Effect of Pseudomonas aeruginosa on Corrosion Behavior of X65 Carbon Steel.

X65 pipeline steel is widely used in the field of offshore oil and gas exploitation due to its excellent performance. However, due to the complex environment in the ocean, X65 pipeline steel is faced with a great risk of microbial corrosion failure. Therefore, it is of great significance to study the corrosion mechanism of X65 pipeline steel by microorganisms. In this paper, the corrosion effect of Pseudomonas aeruginosa (P. aeruginosa) secreting phenazine compounds on X65 pipeline steel was studied by the weight loss method, biofilm scanning electron microscopy analysis, surface corrosion morphology observation, electrochemical testing and medium pH test corrosion products. The results showed that the inoculation of P. aeruginosa accelerated the corrosion of X65 steel. After knocking out the phzM and phzS genes that regulate the synthesis of PYO, P. aeruginosa can still produce biofilms on the surface of X65 steel consistent with the morphology of wild-type P. aeruginosa, but the corrosion of X65 steel is significantly reduced. It is proved that PYO plays an important role in the corrosion process of P. aeruginosa on steel.

Acceleration mechanism of riboflavin on Fe0-to-microbe electron transfer in corrosion of EH36 steel by Pseudomonas aeruginosa.

Riboflavin (RF), as a common electron mediator that can accelerate extracellular electron transfer (EET), is usually used as a probe to confirm EET-microbiologically influenced corrosion (MIC). However, the acceleration mechanism of RF on EET-MIC is still unclear, especially the effect on gene expression in bacteria. In this study, a 13-mer antimicrobial peptide E6 and tetrakis hydroxymethyl phosphonium sulfate (THPS) were used as new tools to investigate the acceleration mechanism of RF on Fe0-to-microbe EET in corrosion of EH36 steel caused by Pseudomonas aeruginosa. 60 min after 20 ppm (v/v) THPS and 20 ppm THPS & 100 nM E6 were injected into P. aeruginosa 1 and P. aeruginosa 2 (two glass bottles containing P. aeruginosa with different treatments) at the 3-d incubation, respectively, P. aeruginosa 1 and P. aeruginosa 2 had a similar planktonic cell count, whereas the sessile cell count in P. aeruginosa 1 was 1.3 log higher than that in P. aeruginosa 2. After the 3-d pre-growth and subsequent 7-d incubation, the addition of 20 ppm (w/w) RF increased the weight loss and maximum pit depth of EH36 steel in P. aeruginosa 1 by 0.7 mg cm-2 and 4.1 µm, respectively, while only increasing those in P. aeruginosa 2 by 0.4 mg cm-2 and 1.7 µm, respectively. This suggests that RF can be utilized by P. aeruginosa biofilms since the corrosion rate should be elevated by the same value if it only acts on the planktonic cells. Furthermore, the EET capacity of P. aeruginosa biofilm was enhanced by RF because the protein expression of cytochrome c (Cyt c) gene in sessile cells was significantly increased in the presence of RF, which accelerated EET-MIC by P. aeruginosa against EH36 steel.

Effect of Halomonas titanicae on fluctuating water-line corrosion of EH40 steel.

The fluctuating water-line corrosion of EH40 steel in sterile and biotic media was investigated with a wire beam electrode. When the coupons were partially immersed in the sterile medium, the position of the low water-line acted as the cathodic zone and the area below the low water-line constantly served as the main anodic zone. The thin electrolyte layers with uneven thickness promoted the galvanic current of the region below the low water-line. Different from the sterile environment, the metabolism of Halomonas titanica with oxygen as the final electron acceptor reduced the dissolved oxygen concentration, which resulted in the position of the low water-line acting as the anodic zone.

Synergistic corrosion effects of magnetite and microorganisms: microbial community dependency.

The synergistic corrosion effect of acid-producing bacteria (APB) and magnetite on carbon steel corrosion was assessed using two different microbial consortia. A synergistic corrosion effect was observed exclusively with Consortium 2, which was composed of Enterobacter sp., Pseudomonas sp., and Tepidibacillus sp. When Consortium 2 was accompanied by magnetite, uniform corrosion and pitting rates were one-time higher (0.094 mm/year and 0.777 mm/year, respectively) than the sum of the individual corrosion rates promoted by the consortium and deposit separately (0.084 and 0.648 mm/year, respectively). The synergistic corrosion effect observed exclusively with Consortium 2 is attributed to its microbial community structure. Consortium 2 exhibited higher microbial diversity that benefited the metabolic status of the community. Although both consortia induced acidification of the test solution and metal surface through glucose fermentation, heightened activity levels of Consortium 2, along with increased surface roughness caused by magnetite, contributed to the distinct synergistic corrosion effect observed with Consortium 2 and magnetite. KEY POINTS: • APB and magnetite have a synergistic corrosion effect on carbon steel. • The microbial composition of APB consortia drives the synergistic corrosion effect. • Magnetite increases carbon steel surface roughness.

The combined effect of carbon starvation and exogenous riboflavin accelerated the Pseudomonas aeruginosa-induced nickel corrosion.

The primary objective of this study is to elucidate the synergistic effect of an exogenous redox mediator and carbon starvation on the microbiologically influenced corrosion (MIC) of metal nickel (Ni) by nitrate reducing Pseudomonas aeruginosa. Carbon source (CS) starvation markedly accelerates Ni MIC by P. aeruginosa. Moreover, the addition of exogenous riboflavin significantly decreases the corrosion resistance of Ni. The MIC rate of Ni (based on corrosion loss volume) is ranked as: 10 % CS level + riboflavin > 100 % CS level + riboflavin > 10 % CS level > 100 % CS level. Notably, starved P. aeruginosa biofilm demonstrates greater aggressiveness in contributing to the initiation of surface pitting on Ni. Under CS deficiency (10 % CS level) in the presence of riboflavin, the deepest Ni pits reach a maximum depth of 11.2 µm, and the corrosion current density (icorr) peak at approximately 1.35 × 10-5 A·cm-2, representing a 2.6-fold increase compared to the full-strength media (5.25 × 10-6 A·cm-2). For the 10 % CS and 100 % CS media, the addition of exogenous riboflavin increases the Ni MIC rate by 3.5-fold and 2.9-fold, respectively. Riboflavin has been found to significantly accelerate corrosion, with its augmentation effect on Ni MIC increasing as the CS level decreases. Overall, riboflavin promotes electron transfer from Ni to P. aeruginosa, thus accelerating Ni MIC.