Different metals and their prospective role in titanium corrosion
Dr. Toleti Subba Rao
Professor, School of Arts and Sciences
A Fellow of The Academy of Sciences and the Society for Applied Biotechnology, Advancement of Electrochemical Science and Technology, Subba Rao teaches Biological Sciences at SaiU. He brings with him 34 years of experience at the Bhabha Atomic Research Centre, Kalpakkam, in basic, applied, and molecular microbiology.
ABSTRACT
This study describes the biofilm formation by sulphate-reducing bacteria (SRB) on different materials, which has implications for the biomedical, pharmaceutical, food and chemical process industries. SRB was chosen as a model organism being an anaerobic bacterium. Biofilm formation on different materials and corrosion of titanium by SRB were monitored with time using confocal laser scanning microscopy and fluorescent FISH probes were used to authenticate the SRB strain. The thickness of the mono-culture SRB biofilm has ranged from 4 to 24 µm during thed 12–84 hr; however, the maximum biofilm thickness (24 µm) was recorded after 60 hr of growth. Planktonic growth of the SRB strain showed a log phase up to 48 hr and the sulphide production ranged from 2 to 14 mg l−1. For a comparative account, the SRB biofilm formation on copper was chosen as a positive control. Finally, the putative role of extracellular electron transfer by SRB in the biocorrosion process and the plausible mechanism of pitting corrosion of titanium is described in detail.
GRAPHICAL ABSTRACT
