[Effect of the biofilm biopolymers on the microbial corrosion rate of the low-carbon steel]

Abstract

The relationship between exopolymer's specific production, relative carbohydrate and protein content in the biofilm exopolymers of the pure and mixed Thiobacillus thioparus and Stenotrophomonas maltophilia cultures and their corrosion activity was studied. Change of growth model of investigated cultures from plankton to biofilm led to an increase of specific exopolymer's production. In the biofilm formed by T. thioparus and S. maltophilia biofilm on the low-carbon steel surface one could observe an increase of relative protein content in the exopolymer complex in comparison with those in the pure culture. The development of such biofilms stimulatied the 7-fold corrosion activity.