Field Scanning Electron Microscopy and Growth Modelling of a Desulfovibrio alaskansis G20 Biofilm

Abstract

Microbially Induced Corrosion (MIC) is a major concern for industrial ferrous metal pipelines and can result in pipeline failure. Sulfate Reducing Bacteria (SRB) have been implicated in contributing to MIC due to their production of corrosive H2S gas. Desulfovibrio alaskansis G20 (G20) is a SRB isolated from a producing oil well in Ventura, California. This study evaluates whether G20 pure culture can form a biofilm on steel substrate, and attempts to characterize the G20 biofilm with the Biological Accumulation Model (BAM).