Exopolysaccharides from Lactic acid Bacteria as Corrosion Inhibitors

Bacterial EPSs (exopolysaccharides) are believed to play an important role in the environment by promoting survival strategies such as bacterial attachment to surfaces and nutrient trapping, which facilitate processes of biofilm formation and development. These microbial biofilms have been implicated in corrosion of metals, bacterial attachment to prosthetic devices, fouling of heat exchange surfaces, toxicant immobilization, and fouling of ship hulls. In this paper, data on EPS production and the effect of EPS on corrosion of steel produced by Lactobacillus fermentum Ts are presented and discussed. The Lactobacillus fermentum Ts strain was isolated from types of Bulgarian rye flour. It was tested for its ability to produce exopolysaccharides when cultivated in a media containing 10% sucrose, 10% fructose and 10% maltose. The study of the corrosive stability of steel samples was conducted on the gravimetrique method. The rate of corrosion, the degree of protection, and coefficient of protection have been calculated. The structure of layer over steel plates was analysed by SEM (scanning electron microscopy) JSM 5510. It could be underlined that 10% sucrose and 10% maltose in the media stimulated the process of protection of corrosion.