Riboflavin-mediated Fe0-to-microbe electron transfer corrosion of EH40 steel by Halomonas titanicae

This study investigated riboflavin (RF)-mediated Fe0-to-microbe electron transfer corrosion of EH40 steel caused by Halomonas titanicae. The addition of 20 ppm RF to the biotic medium increased the weight loss and maximum pitting depth of EH40 steel by 67% and 64%, respectively. After 20 ppm RF injection into a 3-d broth, the biotic corrosion started to increase within minutes, reflecting that the H. titanicae extracellular electron transfer (EET) rate was promoted by RF as an electron mediator. Furthermore, RF increased the expression level of cytochrome c (Cyt c) in sessile cells, which further enhanced the EET capacity of H. titanicae.