“Green” ZnO-Interlinked Chitosan Nanoparticles for the Efficient Inhibition of Sulfate-Reducing Bacteria in Inject Seawater

Abstract

Antimicrobial agents and corrosion inhibitors are widely used as biocides in the oil and gas industry to disinfect water and inhibit excessive biofilm formation caused mainly by sulfate reducing bacteria (SRBs). However, traditional biocides may induce bacterial resistance and/or be detrimental to environment by forming harmful disinfection byproducts. In this first systematic study, we synthesized a “green” and highly stable biocide formulations composed of ZnO-interlinked chitosan (Ch) nanoparticles (CZNCs) and evaluated their antimicrobial activity against mixed SRBs culture isolated from real oil field sludge. SEM, TEM, X-ray diffraction (XRD) and FTIR suggested the formation of stable nanocomposites with strong interaction between ZnO and Ch nanoparticles. Synthesized nanocomposites showed highly stable behaviors in the high salt concentrations of inject seawater. The inhibition of SRBs activity was concentration-dependent and more than 73% and 43% inhibition of sulfate reduction and total organic ca...