Microbiologically influenced corrosion of steel in coastal surface seawater contaminated by crude oil

Abstract Petroleum-hydrocarbons spilt in surface seawater may pose potential threats to the corrosion of steel infrastructures. We show that crude oil accelerated mainly by accelerating microbiologically influenced (MIC). Crude led dominance marine oil-degraders including Alcanivorax and Marinobacter both rust, rather than sulfate-reducing bacteria (SRB) which dominated rust microbial community no-oil group. not only enhanced oxygen respiration aerobic hydrocarbon degradation but also nitrate reduction anaerobic process indicating more heterogeneous microenvironments formed on surfaces. Furthermore, low abundance SRB dissimilatory sulfate gene ( dsr ), existence iron-carbonate iron-sulfate minerals implied sulfide, previously regarded as main cause MIC, was major contributor early petroleum-polluted seawater. Marine specialized seem play significant roles under such conditions.