Variation in sessile microflora during biofilm formation on AISI-304 stainless steel coupons

Abstract

Coupons of stainless steel type AISI-304 were exposed to the industrial cooling system of a petrochemical plant fed by seawater from the Guanabara Bay, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, in order to study the in situ formation of biofilms. Bacteria, microalgae and fungi were detected on the coupons as soon as 48 h after exposure. Their respective numbers were determined at times 48, 96 and 192 h and over the following 8 weeks. Aerobic, anaerobic and sulfate-reducing bacteria were quantified according to the technique of the most probable number, and fungi by the pour plate technique. The number of microorganisms present in the forming biofilm varied over the experimental period, reaching maximal levels of 14 x 1011 cells cm-2, 30 x 1013 cells cm-2, 38 x 1011 cells cm-2 and 63 x 105 cells cm-2, respectively, for aerobic bacteria, anaerobic bacteria, sulfate-reducing bacteria and fungi, and the dynamics of this variation depended on the group of microorganisms. Bacillus sp, Escherichia coli, Serratia sp and Pseudomonas putrefaciens were identified among the aerobic bacteria isolated. Additionally, microalgae and bacteria of the genus Gallionella were also detected. Nonetheless, no evidence of corrosion was found on the stainless steel type AISI-304 coupons over the experimental period.