Development of innovative diagnosis against microbiologically influenced metal corrosion

2019 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 17H04719
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Young Scientists (A)
• Allocation Type: Single-year Grants
• Research Field: Environmental risk control and evaluation
• Research Institution: Japan Agency for Marine-Earth Science and Technology (2019); Kobe University (2017-2018)
• Principal Investigator: WAKAI Satoshi 国立研究開発法人海洋研究開発機構, 超先鋭研究開発部門(超先鋭研究プログラム), 研究員 (50545225)
• Project Period (FY): 2017-04-01 – 2020-03-31
• Keywords: 環境評価 / 診断技術 / 微生物腐食 / 微生物群集構造解析

Outline of Final Research Achievements

Some microorganisms have frequently caused severe corrosion of metal materials. Unfortunately, valid diagnosis method against the microbiologically influenced corrosion have never been developed. In this study, I attempted to examine for the corrosion properties of some hundreds strains of microorganisms, and I found novel corrosive-microorganism. Furthermore, I collected samples from various environments involving metal corrosive environment and carried out lab-scale corrosion test and microbial community analysis. As a result, I found some metal-corrosive microbial community clusters from approximately 500 samples. Based on these results, I developed valid diagnosis method against the microbiologically influenced corrosion using genetic analysis.

Free Research Field

応用微生物学

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

微生物による金属腐食は様々な環境で起こっており、多大な経済的損失と施設の劣化による様々な化学物質の漏出による二次的な環境汚染が問題となっていた。本研究では、この微生物による金属腐食について、様々な環境において腐食性微生物集団を見つける技術を開発し、微生物の腐食性を迅速に診断することを可能にした。開発した診断技術を社会実装することで、化学工場やエネルギー関連施設の安全性の確保や身近な大型商業施設等の消火用配管の健全性の確保が可能となる。