title: Effects of toxic metals and chemicals on biofilm and biocorrosion.
abstract: Microbes in marine biofilms aggregated into clusters and increased the production of extracellular polymeric substances (EPS), by over 100% in some cases, when the seawater media containing toxic metals and chemicals, such as Cd(II), Cu(II), Pb(II), Zn(II), AI(III), Cr(III), glutaraldehyde, and phenol. The formation of microbial cluster and the increased production of EPS, which contained 84-92% proteins and 8-16% polysaccharides, accelerated the corrosion of the mild steel. However, there was no quantitative relationship between the degree of increased corrosion and the toxicity of metals/chemicals towards sulfate-reducing bacteria, or the increased EPS production.
authors.affiliation: Department of Civil Engineering, Centre for Environmental Engineering Research, The University of Hong Kong. hrechef@hkucc.hku.hk
authors.forename: Herbert H P
authors.initials: HH
authors.lastname: Fang
authors.forename: Li-Chong
authors.initials: LC
authors.lastname: Xu
authors.forename: Kwong-Yu
authors.initials: KY
authors.lastname: Chan
mesh_terms: D018441:Biofilms; D003343:Corrosion; D019216:Metals, Heavy / Q000737:chemistry*; D010636:Phenols; D011108:Polymers; D011157:Population Dynamics; D013232:Steel; D016999:Sulfur-Reducing Bacteria / Q000502:physiology
chemical_list: D019216:Metals, Heavy; D010636:Phenols; D011108:Polymers; D013232:Steel