Naturally effective inhibition of microbial corrosion on carbon steel by beneficial biofilm in the South China Sea

Abstract

Microbially influenced corrosion (MIC) of metals exerts a negative effect on the marine environment and causes a great loss of marine facilities. Corrosion prevention in an eco-friendly and sustainable way is a difficult problem to address, especially in the marine environment. In this work, Nocardiopsis dassonville, a corrosive bacteria isolated from the South China Sea was studied by using carbon steel. The results indicate that N. dassonville caused a corrosion loss of 7.68 mg cm⁻² and a corrosion pit of 13.0 μm on the carbon steel surface, but the corrosion is inhibited in the presence of Vibrio sp. EF187016 in the medium. Vibrio sp. EF187016 preferentially occupied the carbon steel surface, forming a protective biofilm that hindered the attachment of N. dassonville. In addition, extracellular polymeric substances extracted from Vibrio sp. EF187016 was added to N. dassonvillei inoculated medium and showed a significant inhibition of MIC on carbon steel.