Silicone quaterium-22 surfactant as an eco-friendly carbon steel anticorrosive: Assessment of corrosion inhibition properties and ecotoxicity in zebrafish embryos

Abstract

Corrosion of carbon steel pipelines in the oil and gas industry presents operational and environmental challenges, requiring safer alternatives to toxic corrosion inhibitors. This study evaluates Silicon-Q-22 (SQ22) as a green corrosion inhibitor using electrochemical and surface analysis techniques. SQ22 achieved 88.24 % (EIS) and 83.31 % (PDP) inhibition at 125 ppm and exhibited minimal toxicity in zebrafish embryos (LC50 = 22.36 mg/L). Below 2 mg/L (NOEC), SQ22 caused no significant toxicity but induced minor cardiac effects. With high efficacy and low environmental impact, SQ22 emerges as a promising, sustainable alternative for corrosion control in industrial applications.