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Food-grade D-limonene enhanced a green biocide in the mitigation of carbon steel biocorrosion by a mixed-culture biofilm consortium

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Abstract

Microbiologically influenced corrosion (MIC), or microbial biocorrosion, is caused directly by microbial metabolic activities/products or induced by microbial biofilm’s damage of a protective film that exposes a solid surface to a pre-existing corrosive environment. MIC causes billions of dollars of losses in various industrial processes, especially in oil and gas and water utilities. The mitigation of problematic industrial microbes typically relies on biocides whose discharges can cause environmental problems. Thus, more effective biocide applications are desired to minimize environmental impact. D-Limonene, a citrus peel oil, generally regarded as safe (GRAS), was used to enhance the popular biodegradable tetrakis hydroxymethyl phosphonium sulfate (THPS) biocide. An oilfield mixed-culture biofilm was grown anaerobically in enriched artificial seawater containing C1018 carbon steel coupons for 7 days at 37 °C. One hundred ppm (w/w) D-limonene reduced general heterotrophic bacteria (GHB) and acid-producing bacteria (APB) effectively, leading to 5.4-log and 6.0-log reductions in sessile GHB and APB cell counts, respectively, compared to no treatment control. The combination of 100 ppm D-limonene + 100 ppm THPS achieved extra 1.0-log SRB, 0.6-log GHB and 0.5-log APB reductions in sessile cell counts, which led to extra 58% reduction in microbial corrosion mass loss (1.2 vs. 0.5 mg/cm2) and extra 30% reductions in maximum pit depth (11.5 vs. 8.1 µm), compared to 100 ppm THPS-only treatment. Linear polarization resistance and potentiodynamic polarization (PDP) corrosion data supported mass loss and pitting data.

Graphical abstract

Mixed-culture biofilms on carbon steel coupons after 7 day incubation at 37 °C showing enhanced biocide treatment outcome using D-limonene + THPS: A no treatment, B 100 ppm D-limonene, C 100 ppm THPS, D 100 ppm D-limonene + 100 ppm THPS.

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Acknowledgements

PTT Exploration and Production (Thailand) and Saudi Aramco provided financial support to this work.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, Institute for Corrosion and Multiphase Technology, Ohio University, Athens, OH, 45701, USA

    Tuba Unsal, Di Wang, Pruch Kijkla & Tingyue Gu

  2. Institute of Marine Sciences and Management, Istanbul University, 34134, Istanbul, Turkey

    Tuba Unsal

  3. PTT Exploration and Production, Bangkok, 10900, Thailand

    Pruch Kijkla, Sith Kumseranee & Suchada Punpruk

  4. Research and Development Center, Saudi Arabian Oil Company, Dhahran, 31311, Saudi Arabia

    Magdy E. Mohamed & Mazen A. Saleh

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  1. Tuba Unsal
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  2. Di Wang
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  3. Pruch Kijkla
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Correspondence to Tingyue Gu.

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Unsal, T., Wang, D., Kijkla, P. et al. Food-grade D-limonene enhanced a green biocide in the mitigation of carbon steel biocorrosion by a mixed-culture biofilm consortium. Bioprocess Biosyst Eng 45, 669–678 (2022). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00449-021-02685-6

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00449-021-02685-6

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