A Study on Microbe-Metal interaction: Aluminium Alloy (6061) and Bacillus sp in simulated Marine environment

Abstract

The metals affect the growth of microorganisms and their activity. Microbes use different mechanisms to interact with metal and metalloids present in the environment. Few trace elements are required for their metabolism and absorb these metal ions present in natural and synthetic environment. Some of the metal play important role in physiological functions of organism but if it is in excess may cause toxic. But few metal doesn’t have any significant role in organism’s metabolism, but still microbes interact with them. Electrochemical and chemical interactions cause the gradual decaying of metals’ exteriors and interiors. Metal degrades with the action of microorganisms. Microbial corrosion is a special type of metal corrosion in which microbes act on such metals where it does not have any intrinsic function. In present article interaction of Aluminioum Alloy (AA) 6061 with Bacillus sp in 3.5% NaCl (W/V) solution has been reported. The interaction study was performed under static and dynamic conditions for 4 weeks and 2 weeks respectively. Weight loss of the metal coupons was performed regularly. Microbial load in both conditions were checked by doing viability cell count to ensure metal toxicity. Scanning Electron Microscope observation was done for biofilm formation on metal coupons.