Iron corrosion induced by nitrate-reducing bacteria isolated from a crude-oil and corrosion scale. Prolixibacter strain:MIC1-1

Microbiologically influenced corrosion (MIC) of metallic materials imposes a heavy economic burden. In this study, we describe Fe0 corrosion induced by nitrate-reducing bacteria, which were isolated from a crude-oil and corrosion-scale samples collected at an oil well and a brine transportation pipe in Japan. These isolates corroded Fe0 concomitantly with nitrate reduction, and Fe0 dissolution by them were more than 20-fold higher than that in an aseptic control. Scanning electron microscopy analyses revealed that deposits developed on the surface of Fe0-foils from the cultures of the isolates mainly consisted of FeCO3 and Fe3(PO4)2, while Fe3O4 and FeOOH were also detected on the surface of Fe0 foils from the some cultures.