149 / 2025-04-10 07:19:21

Accelerated corrosion caused by microbes from the deep-sea

Microbiome,Sulfate reducing bacteria,methanogen,corrosion

Theme 2: Geobiology of Modern Habitable Earth > Session 2c: Geomicrobiology of Hazardous Elements Generated by Anthropogenic Activities

The deep-sea environment is often regarded as static due to the absence of sunlight, low temperatures, and low biological density. However, certain regions feature hydrothermal field, which supports biologically rich and dynamic ecosystems. The metabolic activity of deep-sea organisms plays a crucial role in global geochemical cycling, particularly in the transformation and circulation in deep-sea environments have lagged behind, primarily due to the limited availability of research opportunities and the considerable technical and logistical challenges involved. At the JAMSTEC, a wide range of experiments have been conducted in various deep-sea settings, including research and development utilizing hydrothermal systems. During these experiments, severe corrosion phenomena were encountered in hydrothermal environments.

In this study, we focused on the largely unexpected subject of microbiologically influenced corrosion (MIC) under hydrothermal deep-sea conditions. Laboratory-based cultivation experiments were conducted to evaluate the potential of deep-sea microorganisms to affect metal corrosion. Zero-valent iron and hydrothermal deposits were added to a modified artificial seawater medium and incubated at various temperature.

Our results provide new insights into the mechanisims of MIC in high-temperature deep-sea environments, bridging a major gap in current understanding and offering valuable guidance of future studies. In addition to this laboratoy-based work, we are currently conducting in situ corrosion experiments across various deep-sea locations. These ongoing efforts aim to expand our knowledge of MIC under diverse deep-sea conditions and contribute to the development of more robust materials and mitigation strageties for subsea applications.