Metal Bionanohybrids against Microbiologically Influenced Corrosion (MIC) Consortia

Area of Science:

• Materials Science
• Nanotechnology
• Corrosion Science

Background:

• Microbiologically influenced corrosion (MIC) poses a significant challenge in various industries, necessitating the development of novel preventative materials.
• Existing methods for MIC prevention often have limitations, driving the search for effective and environmentally friendly alternatives.

Purpose of the Study:

• To design and synthesize novel copper and copper-silver nanoparticle-enzyme hybrids for potential application in MIC prevention.
• To evaluate the antibacterial efficacy of these bionanohybrids against key MIC-related bacteria, including sulfate-reducing bacteria (SRB), slime-forming bacteria (SFB), and acid-producing bacteria (APB).
• To assess the ability of selected hybrids to inhibit the adhesion of SRB to carbon steel surfaces.

Main Methods:

• Synthesis of six different copper and copper-silver nanoparticle-enzyme hybrids using a mild, water-based method at room temperature.
• Characterization of nanoparticle size, crystallinity, and composition using techniques such as X-ray diffraction.
• In vitro evaluation of bacterial viability and growth inhibition assays against SRB, SFB, and APB enrichments.
• Surface adhesion inhibition tests using fluorescence imaging on carbon steel coupons.

Main Results:

• Characterization confirmed the presence of crystalline nanoparticles (2-20 nm) and identified the metallic species in the hybrids.
• All synthesized bionanohybrids demonstrated significant antibacterial activity against SRB and SFB.
• Specifically, Cu-2 and Cu-Ag-2 hybrids achieved >94% bacterial reduction against SRB, while Cu-Ag-1 and Cu-Ag-2 showed >98% reduction against SFB.
• The hybrids were less effective against APB due to low pH conditions.
• Cu-2 and Cu-Ag-2 effectively inhibited SRB adhesion to carbon steel, with Cu-2 achieving a 98% reduction.

Conclusions:

• The developed copper and copper-silver nanoparticle-enzyme hybrids exhibit broad-spectrum antibacterial properties.
• These novel nanomaterials show significant potential for the prevention and treatment of microbiologically influenced corrosion.
• Further research into their application for surface protection against MIC is warranted.