Eradication of the corrosion-causing bacterial strains Desulfovibrio vulgaris and Desulfovibrio desulfuricans in planktonic and biofilm form using photodisinfection

Abstract

Oil and gas pipelines often fail prematurely due to “microbiologically-influenced corrosion” (MIC). This occurs when free-floating bacteria collect on the inner pipeline surface, eventually forming complex adherent biofilms. Photodisinfection is an effective antimicrobial approach for several biomedical applications. This study evaluated the antibacterial efficacy of photodisinfection against two sulfate-reducing bacterial strains implicated in the process of MIC. Results showed that treatment reduced planktonic bacterial viability by >99.99%. Treatment of biofilms reduced viability by 99.9%, which was greater than the antibacterial effect observed using the biocide benzalkonium chloride under similar exposure parameters. These results suggest that photodisinfection may be useful in addressing MIC in industrial pipelines.