The Influence of the Desulfovibrio desulfuricans 14 ATCC 27774 on the corrosion of mild steel

The involvement of sulphate-reducing bacteria (SRB) in microbially influenced corrosion (MTC) of steel and the serious implications associated with their presence in industrial environments have long been known and extensively described. Desulfovibrio desulfuricans ATCC 27774 is an interesting metabolic case of SRB, as it can use both sulphate and nitrate as respiratory substrates during lactate oxidation. This strain has been extensively studied from both a biochemical and structural point of view but, so far, restricted information is available concerning its role in MIG. This work describes a comparative study of the corrosive aggressivity of ATCC 27774 strain towards mild steel when grown either in lactate/sulphate or lactate/nitrate media. The carbon source and electron acceptor's consumption rates were analysed and the metabolic features were correlated with weight loss measurements and SEM observations.