Lecture 34: Microorganisms In Biofouling And Biocorrosion

NPTEL Web Course

Lecture 34
Microorganisms In Biofouling And Biocorrosion
Keywords: Biocorrosion, Biofouling, Microorganisms

So for we have seen the beneficial aspects of microorganisms with relevance to biogenesis of
minerals, bioleaching and biobeneficiation.

Many types of microorganisms are also

responsible for metal degradation and corrosion. Role of microorganisms in biofouling

and metallic corrosion is discussed in lectures 34-37, with reference to biofilms,
biocorrosion, role of aerobic and anaerobic organisms, biomaterials and corrosion of
human implants [227-244].

Microbially-influenced corrosion (MIC) takes place in environments such as soil, fresh water
and sea water and is estimated to be responsible for more than 30 percent of all corrosion
damage. Microorganisms causing MIC are many such as sulfur-sulfide oxidizing, ironmanganese oxidizing, sulfate-reducing, acid producing, and ammonia and acetate producing
bacteria and fungi. Microbial growth under natural environmental conditions influences
electrochemical reactions directly or indirectly. Microbe-metal interactions lead to initial
adhesion and biofilm formation. [227-236]

The role of microorganisms in the deterioration and failure of materials can be categorized into
Biofouling, Biodeterioration and Microbiologically-influenced corrosion (MIC). Biofouling
refers to attachment of micro- and macro-organisms onto material surfaces in marine, fresh water
and soil environments leading to formation of fouled layers of biofilms. Deterioration of
nonmetallic materials like cement, wood, plastics and rubber due to microbial action is termed
biodeterioration. Corrosion of metals and alloys influenced by the activities of microorganisms is
defined as microbially-influenced corrosion (MIC).

1
Course Title: Metals Biotechnology
Course Co-ordinator: Prof. K. A. Natarajan, IISc Bangalore

Lecture 34: Microorganisms In Biofouling And Biocorrosion

NPTEL Web Course

Microorganisms are omnipresent and grow at very rapid rates in soil, water and air. They exhibit
extreme tolerance to varying environmental conditions such as acidic and alkaline pH, low and
higher temperatures as well as metal toxicity.

The industrial significance and relevance of MIC can be seen from Table 34.1. The severity of
microbial corrosion processes is evident from the fact that many of the commercially used metals
and alloys such as stainless steels, nickel and aluminium-based alloys and materials such as
concrete, asphalt and polymers are readily degraded by microorganisms. Protective coatings,
inhibitors, oils and emulsions are also subject to microbial degradation.

2
Course Title: Metals Biotechnology
Course Co-ordinator: Prof. K. A. Natarajan, IISc Bangalore

Lecture 34: Microorganisms In Biofouling And Biocorrosion

NPTEL Web Course

Table 34.1:Relevance of MIC in industrial environments

Thermal and nuclear power plants

Coolant tubes, sub-sea pipe lines, stainless

steel and carbon steel, copper and aluminiumalloys

Mining and metallurgical operations

Underground equipment and engineering

materials.

Chemical

Condensers, heat exchangers, pipings and

storage vessels.

Water treatment and mechanical

Heat exchangers, Breakdown of oils,

engineering

emulsions and lubricants

Piping (oil, gas and water)

Steels

Construction

Concrete structures in marine, fresh water and

sub-soil conditions, bridges, buildings

Oil exploration and petrochemicals

Aluminium alloys and steels

Aviation sector

Aluminium fuel tanks

3
Course Title: Metals Biotechnology
Course Co-ordinator: Prof. K. A. Natarajan, IISc Bangalore

Lecture 34: Microorganisms In Biofouling And Biocorrosion

NPTEL Web Course

MIC in power plants can occur in the following operational metals and alloys

Heat exchanger tubing -

Aluminium brass, Copper-Nickel, alloys

Water storage tank -

stainless steels

Water pipes

stainless steel welds

Cooling towers

Pumps

Galvanized steels

Stainless steels

4
Course Title: Metals Biotechnology
Course Co-ordinator: Prof. K. A. Natarajan, IISc Bangalore

Lecture 34: Microorganisms In Biofouling And Biocorrosion

NPTEL Web Course

MIC causing microorganisms

Microorganisms that are known to cause corrosion can be generally classified as follows:

Bacteria

Iron Oxidising Bacteria (IOB) and metal

depositing bacteria
Sulphate Reducing Bacteria (SRB)
(Desulfovibrio)
Sulphur Oxidising and acid producing
bacteria. (Acidithiobacillus)
Iron

oxidizing

bacteria.

and

metal

(Gallionella,

depositing
Crenothrix,

Leptothrix)
Metal reducing bacteria
(Pseudomonas, Shewanella)

Fungi

Aspergillus fumigatus
Cladosporium resinae
Paecilomyces varioti
Aspergillus niger
Penicillium cyclospium

Algae

Blue green algae

Microbial

Mutualism among different groups of

consortia

microorganisms

5
Course Title: Metals Biotechnology
Course Co-ordinator: Prof. K. A. Natarajan, IISc Bangalore

Lecture 34: Microorganisms In Biofouling And Biocorrosion

NPTEL Web Course

The sulphur cycle in nature is relevant to MIC. Sulphur and sulfide oxidising and sulphate
reducing bacteria (SRB) are involved in a number of biogenic redox reactions leading to
products such as H2S, metal sulphides and sulfoxy compounds.

Microbially - mediated

processes result in corrosion in soils and aqueous environments. For example, sulphate reducing
bacteria such as Desulfovibrio reduce sulphate to sulphide and hydrogen sulphide, under
reducing conditions.
SO=4 + 4H2 = S= + 4H2O
2H+ + S- - = H2S

Both sulphur (sulphide) oxidizing and sulphate reducing bacteria (SRB) are involved in the
biological sulphur cycle in nature.
Sulphur and ferrous iron-oxidising bacteria such as Acidithiobacillus thiooxidans and
Acidithiobacillus ferrooxidans are aerobic acidophiles promoting oxidation of sulfur, sulfides as
well as ferrous ions.

2H2S + 2O2 = H2S2O3 + H2O

5Na2S2O3 + 8O2 + H2O = 5Na2SO4 + H2SO4 + 4S
4S + 6O2 + 4H2O = 4H2SO4
Fe++ = Fe+++ + e

Morphological features of some organisms relevant to MIC are given fig. 34.1:

All these bacteria are implicated in microbial corrosion processes and their growth characteristics
and metabolic reactions are important in understanding corrosion mechanisims.

6
Course Title: Metals Biotechnology
Course Co-ordinator: Prof. K. A. Natarajan, IISc Bangalore

Lecture 34: Microorganisms In Biofouling And Biocorrosion

Bacillus

Acidithiobacillus Sp

NPTEL Web Course

Sulphate reducing bacteria (SRB}

Acidithiobacillus thiooxidans

Aspergillus fungus

Desulfovibrio sp.

Fig. 34.1: Morphological features of bacteria and fungi relevant to microbial corrosion

Principal slime forming bacteria like Bacillus subtilis, Bacillus cereus, Flavobacterium,
Aerobacter and Pseudomonas are present in soils.

Pseudomonas proliferates in systems

containing hydrocarbon sources such as oils and emulsions using hydrocarbons as energy source.

Algae include single cell to multicellular species of diverse forms and shapes. They contain
coloured pigments, such as the chlorophyll, and grow on moist surfaces of cooling towers,
screens and distribution systems. Some common algae include blue-green algae, the green algae
and diatoms. They produce corrosive organic acids, and oxygen promoting metallic corrosion.
7
Course Title: Metals Biotechnology
Course Co-ordinator: Prof. K. A. Natarajan, IISc Bangalore

Lecture 34: Microorganisms In Biofouling And Biocorrosion

NPTEL Web Course

Fungi are akin to algae but do not contain chlorophyll. Mould fungi are filamentous; but most of
yeast fungi are unicellular. Fungi implicated in MIC include Aspergillus niger, Aspergillus
fumigatus, Penicilium cyclospium and Cladosporium resinae. Fungal generation of various
organic acids such as oxalic acid, citric acid and gluconic acid create a corrosive environment.

General mechanisms
General electrochemical reaction mechanisms hold good in MIC also.
M = M++ + 2e (anodic)
O2 +4H+ + 4e = 2H2O (acid, aerated)
O2 + 2H2O + 4e = 4OH- (neutral, aerated)
2H+ + 2e = H2 (acid in the absence of oxygen)
Direct and indirect mechanisms are involved when microorganisms participate in a corrosion
process. Microbes directly interlink an electrode reaction through their metabolism in direct
mechanism while indirect mechanisms involves indirect microbial role of generation of corrosive
environments, such as differential aeration cells, acidic reaction products and other metal
chelating solvents.
.
General mechanisms can be classified as follows:

Changes in dissolved oxygen concentrations owing to microbial growth and formation of

concentration cells.
Biodegradation of inhibitors and additives in lubricants and emulsions.
Microbial hydrogen consumption.
Biological breakdown of paint coatings, plastics and, protective films.

8
Course Title: Metals Biotechnology
Course Co-ordinator: Prof. K. A. Natarajan, IISc Bangalore

Lecture 34: Microorganisms In Biofouling And Biocorrosion

NPTEL Web Course

Microorganisms can generate both organic and inorganic acids.

Oxidation of reduced valence sulphur compounds by Acidithiobacillus to produce sulfuric

acid.
Oxidation of sulfide minerals by Acidithiobacillus ferrooxidans to generate ferric sulfate
containing sulfuric acid.
Heterotrophic bacteria and fungi such as Aspergillus generate oxalic, citric and acetic acids.

Other corrosion mechanisms include.

Corrosion by cathodic depolarization attributable to hydrogenase positive Sulfate Reducing

Bacteria (SRB).
Corrosion by differential aeration cells due to biofilms formed by iron oxidising and slime
forming bacteria.
Corrosive products such as organic sulphides, amines, ammonia and

phosphorous

compounds.

Organic corrosion inhibitors such as aminium compounds are used as nutrients by bacteria and
degraded. Bacteria such as Nitrosomonas and Nitrobacter oxidise amines to nitrite and nitrate.
Ferric oxide coatings are degraded by Pseudomonas. Iron sulphide films on steels are degraded
by Sulphate Reducing Bacteria. Protective passive oxide layers on aluminium and its alloys are
destroyed by the fungus, C. resinae.

Bacterial attachment and biofilm formation on metals and alloys are initial events in metallic
corrosion. Microbial biofilms consist of micro and macro- organisms together with their
metabolic and chemical reaction products. Initial stages in biofilm formation may involve only
bacterial attachment. Macroorganisms subsequently attach and grow.
Scanning electron micrographs showing SRB attachment and biofilm formation on titanium
surfaces are shown fig. 34.2.

9
Course Title: Metals Biotechnology
Course Co-ordinator: Prof. K. A. Natarajan, IISc Bangalore

Lecture 34: Microorganisms In Biofouling And Biocorrosion

NPTEL Web Course

Fig. 34.2: Scanning electron micrographs showing SRB attachment and biofilm formation on titanium
surfaces

10
Course Title: Metals Biotechnology
Course Co-ordinator: Prof. K. A. Natarajan, IISc Bangalore