Abstract
Iron reducing bacteria (IRB) are thought to accelerate the corrosion of steel by removing the Fe(III)-oxide passivating layer through iron respiration. We investigated the effect of the iron-binding ligands oxalate, malonate, and succinate on the corrosion of carbon steel driven by the IRB Shewanella oneidensis. These dicarboxylates were found to accelerate the corrosion of carbon steel driven by IRB up to 2.6 times more than the abiotic experiment without dicarboxylates. Iron dissolution was enhanced by dicarboxylates, and this influenced the ability of planktonic cells to engage in iron respiration. The strong iron-binding ligands oxalate and malonate supported iron reduction by planktonic cells, whereas in the experiments with succinate or without dicarboxylate, a direct contact mechanism with the solid Fe(III)-oxide was observed. Faster microbial respiration rates were found in experiments with succinate than with oxalate or malonate, suggesting a competition for iron between the microbial cells and the strong iron-binding ligands.
Highlights
Corrosion of metallic infrastructure facilitated by microorganisms is a costly phenomenon that affects a wide range of industries, including aviation[3], water distribution[4], and oil and gas[5,6,7]
There is a mounting amount of literature that suggests that carbon steel, the preferred construction material in structural components and pipes across industries[8], is highly susceptible to corrosion facilitated by microorganisms[9,10,11,12]
Some authors have argued that S. oneidensis MR-1 would decelerate rather than accelerate the corrosion of carbon steel by decreasing the dissolved oxygen in the system[18] (through the production of Fe(II) and the ability of Shewanella species to respire oxygen) or by blocking the steel surface with a dense biofilm[19]
Summary
Corrosion of metallic infrastructure facilitated by microorganisms is a costly phenomenon (estimated as 0.68% of the global gross domestic product each year1,2) that affects a wide range of industries, including aviation[3], water distribution[4], and oil and gas[5,6,7]. Some authors have argued that S. oneidensis MR-1 would decelerate rather than accelerate the corrosion of carbon steel by decreasing the dissolved oxygen in the system[18] (through the production of Fe(II) and the ability of Shewanella species to respire oxygen) or by blocking the steel surface with a dense biofilm[19]. In both cases, the Fe(III) reducing metabolism of Shewanella spp
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