Iron corrosion induced by the hyperthermophilic sulfate-reducing archaeon Archaeoglobus fulgidus at 70 °C

Abstract

This work assessed the role of the hyperthermophilic sulfate-reducing archaeon, Archaeoglobus fulgidus in anaerobic iron corrosion, at 70 • C, in the presence and the absence of lactate as energy source. Experiments performed with A. fulgidus planktonic cells, displayed their capacity to form a biofilm on an iron coupon and exhibited their biocorrosive activity. A. fulgidus was shown to cause indirect corrosion by producing sulfide while oxidizing lactate. Furthermore, the archaeon could grow lithotrophically by using elemental iron as a mineral energy source. Under these latter conditions, A. fulgidus formed chimneys enhancing the direct corrosion process. Moreover, physiological modifications occurred under these conditions notably highlighting the probable use of CO 2 instead of sulfate as a terminal electron acceptor to produce acetate similarly to homoacetogens. All together, these results illustrate the metabolic versatility and hence the importance of this hyperthermophilic archaeon in microbial induced corrosion (MIC).

Identification of enriched hyperthermophilic microbial communities from a deep-sea hydrothermal vent chimney under electrolithoautotrophic culture conditions

“…Terminal electron acceptors used by this order include sulfate, nitrate, poorly crystalline Fe (III) oxide, and sulfur oxyanions 19 . Moreover, Archaeoglobus fulgidus has been recently shown to grow on iron by directly snatching electrons under carbon starvation during the corrosion process 20 . Furthermore, Ferroglobus and Geoglobus species were shown to be exoelectrogens in pure culture in a microbial electrosynthesis cell 12 and have been enriched within a microbial electrolysis cell 11 , 13 .…”

Identification of enriched hyperthermophilic microbial communities from a deep-sea hydrothermal vent chimney under electrolithoautotrophic culture conditions

“…Terminal electron acceptors used by this order include sulfate, nitrate, poorly crystalline Fe (III) oxide, and sulfur oxyanions (Brileya and Reysenbach, 2014). Moreover, Archaeoglobus fulgidus has been recently shown to grow on iron by directly snatching electrons under carbon starvation during the corrosion process (Amin Ali et al , 2020). Furthermore, Ferroglobus and Geoglobus species were shown to be exoelectrogens in pure culture in a microbial electrosynthesis cell (Yilmazel et al , 2018) and have been enriched within a microbial electrolysis cell (Pillot, et al , 2018; Pillot et al , 2019).…”