Long-chain paraffin biodegradation and iron corrosion by a methanogenic consortium under sulfate-reducing conditions

Concurrence of sulfate-reducing bacteria in methanogenic hydrocarbon-degrading communities raises the question about their metabolic flexibility and ecological impact on iron corrosion under sulfate-reducing conditions. The capability of a methanogenic consortium in the biodegradation of a long-chain paraffin (C28H58) and corrosion of carbon steel was assessed with sulfate as a terminal electron acceptor. Both 16S rRNA amplicon and metagenomic sequencing were applied to characterized the microbial communities involved in hydrocarbon biodegradation and corrosion of carbon steel under sulfate-reducing conditions.