Microbially influenced corrosion communities associated with fuel-grade ethanol environments

Area of Science:

• Corrosion Science
• Microbiology
• Environmental Science

Background:

• Microbially influenced corrosion (MIC) causes significant damage to industrial infrastructure, including hydrocarbon fuel systems.
• The increasing use of alternative fuels, such as fuel-grade ethanol (FGE), raises concerns about MIC in existing infrastructure.
• Previous MIC research has primarily focused on traditional hydrocarbon fuels.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the microbial communities associated with fuel-grade ethanol (FGE) and water environments.
• To identify potential microbial contributors to MIC in FGE systems.
• To assess the risk of MIC in infrastructure utilizing alternative fuels.

Main Methods:

• Small subunit ribosomal RNA gene pyrosequencing was used to survey microbial diversity.
• Cultivation techniques were employed to isolate specific microbial groups.
• Environments containing FGE and water were sampled for analysis.

Main Results:

• Acetic-acid-producing bacteria (Acetobacter spp. and Gluconacetobacter spp.) were found to be prevalent in FGE environments.
• Other known corrosion-associated microbes, including sulfate-reducing bacteria and methanogens, were also identified.
• Acetic-acid-producing and sulfate-reducing microbes were successfully cultivated from FGE and water samples.

Conclusions:

• Complex microbial communities capable of causing significant MIC can develop in fuel-grade ethanol environments.
• MIC in FGE infrastructure may be challenging to control due to these microbial communities.
• Effective management of these microbial communities is crucial for mitigating corrosion in global infrastructure.