Antibacterial ability of a novel Cu-bearing 2205 duplex stainless steel against Pseudomonas aeruginosa biofilm in artificial seawater

Abstract

Marine microbiologically influenced corrosion (MMIC), initiated or promoted by biofilms of marine microorganisms, is becoming a leading cause of marine materials destruction, resulting in economic losses of billions of dollars each year. Copper ions released from the surface of an alloy can efficiently inhibit the attachment and the growth of some biofilm bacteria. The current study showed that the a novel copper-bearing 2205 duplex stainless steel (2205-Cu DSS) was effective against Pseudomonas aeruginosa in artificial seawater, achieving reductions of colony-forming units of 33.1%, 56.0% and 70.3% after incubation for 1, 3, and 5 days, respectively. More importantly, 2205-Cu DSS significantly decreased the thickness of the biofilm and induced cell death as compared to the 2205 DSS control. These results collectively suggest that 2205-Cu DSS may effectively mitigate the corrosive P. aeruginosa biofilm in applications as a potential anti-MMIC material in the marine environment.