Metal Bionanohybrids against Microbiologically Influenced Corrosion (MIC) Consortia

In search of new materials that would help to prevent microbiologically influenced corrosion (MIC), we have designed and synthetized six different copper and copper–silver nanoparticle–enzyme hybrids using a mild-conditions method carried out in water and r.t. Characterization analyses exhibited the presence of small crystalline nanoparticles with diameters from 2 to 20 nm. X-ray diffraction determined that the Cu hybrids were composed of different copper species, depending on the synthetic protocol used, while the Cu–Ag hybrids were mainly composed of copper and silver phosphate metallic species. Then, the bacterial viability of three MIC-relevant enrichments, sulfate-reducing bacteria (SRB), slime-forming bacteria (SFB), and acid-producing bacteria (APB), was studied in the presence of the bionanohybrids. The results demonstrated a notable effect of all bionanohybrids against SRB, one of the most prominent bacteria associated with MIC. In particular, Cu-2 and Cu–Ag-2 showed a reduction in bacterial cells of 94% and 98% after 48 h, respectively, at a concentration of 100 ppm. They also exhibited high efficiencies against SFB, with Cu–Ag-1 and Cu–Ag-2 hybrids being the best, with bacterial reduction percentages of 98% after 45 h of exposition at a concentration of 100 ppm. However, in the case of APB, the effect of the hybrids was lost due to the low pH level generated during the experiment. Finally, the capacity of Cu-2 and Cu–Ag-2 to inhibit the adhesion of SRB to the surface of carbon steel coupons was evaluated. Fluorescence imaging of the surface of the coupons at 24 h demonstrated that the presence of the hybrids inhibited the growth of SRB, obtaining a maximum reduction of 98% with Cu-2. Overall, the results of this study demonstrate that these novel nanomaterials have a wide-range antibacterial effect and may have a promising future in the prevention and treatment of MIC.