Bacillus subtilis Inhibits Vibrio natriegens-Induced Corrosion via Biomineralization in Seawater

Abstract

The marine bacterium, Vibrio natriegens, grows quickly in a marine environment and can significantly accelerate the corrosion of steel materials. Here, we present an approach to inhibit V. natriegens-induced corrosion by biomineralization. The corrosion of steel is mitigated in seawater via the formation of a biomineralized film induced by Bacillus subtilis. The film is composed of extracellular polymeric substances (EPS) and calcite, exhibiting stable anticorrosion activity. The microbial diversity and medium chemistry tests demonstrated that the inhibition of V. natriegens growth by B. subtilis was essential for the formation of the biomineralized film.