Enhanced Mitigation of Pipeline Biocorrosion Using A Mixture of D-Amino Acids with A Biocide

Overview

Main Objective

This project will develop a new biocide enhancer technology from laboratory tests to field applications to mitigate biofilms in the prevention of MIC. Experimental tasks will evaluate these as well as additional D-amino acids in combination with THPS (one of the most popular biocide in pipeline treatment) to treat field biofilm consortia. In the 2nd year, field trials will be carried out to validate the technology.

Public Abstract

Biofilms cause MIC & MIC mitigation is about biofilm treatment. Sessile cells in biofilms are far more difficult to treat than planktonic cells because biofilms employ various defense mechanisms, including diffusional limitation, lowered metabolic rate to reduce intake, formation of persister cells, upregulation of resistance genes, efflux pumps, etc. Biofilms usually require 10 time or higher biocide concentrations to treat than planktonic cells. Recently, D-amino acids are found to be biocide enhancers in biofilm mitigation. All bacterial cell walls contain D-alanine termini in their peptidoglycan molecules. Its substitution by other D-amino acids such as D-tyrosine triggers the dispersal of bacterial biofilms such as those of Bacillus subtilis, Staphylococcus aureus and Pseudomonas aeruginosa. It was discovered that biofilm dispersal signalling isn't effective for recalcitrant biofilms such as the sulfate reducing bacterium biofilm formed on a carbon steel surface.

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