Tuesday, January 8, 2013

Molecular tools to track bacteria responsible for fuel deterioration and microbiologically influenced corrosion

Biofouling: The Journal of Bioadhesion and Biofilm Research, Volume 28, Issue 9, 2012, pages 1003-1010
Molecular tools to track bacteria responsible for fuel deterioration and microbiologically influenced corrosion
Joseph M. Suflita a*, Deniz F. Aktas a, Athenia L. Oldham a, Beatriz Monica Perez-Ibarra a & Kathleen Duncan a
a The Biocorrosion Center, Institute for Energy and the Environment, University of Oklahoma, Norman, OK, 73019, USA
Abstract
Because the fuels themselves are not sterile, investigating the susceptibility of various fuels to anaerobic biodegradation is not easy.  Researchers obtained bacterial DNA by filtering various fuels through a hydrophobic teflon membrane filter.  Bacterial 16S rRNA genes from these preparations were PCR amplified, cloned, and the resulting libraries sequenced to identify the fuel-borne bacterial communities.
The most common sequence, found in algal- and camelina-based biofuels as well as in ultra-low sulfur diesel (ULSD) and F76 diesel, was similar to that of a Tumebacillus. The next most common sequence was similar to Methylobacterium.  Higher level phylogenetic groups included representatives of the Firmicutes (Bacillus, Lactobacillus and Streptococcus), several Actinobacteria, Deinococcus-Thermus, Chloroflexi, Cyanobacteria, Bacteroidetes, Alphaproteobacteria (Methylobacterium and Sphingomonadales), Betaproteobacteria (Oxalobacteraceae and Burkholderiales) and Deltaproteobacteria.  Both traditional and alternate fuel formulations harbor a characteristic microflora, but these microorganisms contributed little to the successional patterns that ultimately resulted in fuel decomposition, sulfide formation and metal biocorrosion. The findings illustrate the value of molecular approaches to track the fate of bacteria that might come in contact with fuels and potentially contribute to corrosion problems throughout the energy value chain.
Full Text Source (Subscription or Fee): http://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/08927014.2012.723695

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