Corrosion of aluminum alloy 2024 by microorganisms isolated from aircraft fuel tanks

Biofouling
Christopher J McNamaraRalph Mitchell

Abstract

Microorganisms frequently contaminate jet fuel and cause corrosion of fuel tank metals. In the past, jet fuel contaminants included a diverse group of bacteria and fungi. The most common contaminant was the fungus Hormoconis resinae. However, the jet fuel community has been altered by changes in the composition of the fuel and is now dominated by bacterial contaminants. The purpose of this research was to determine the composition of the microbial community found in fuel tanks containing jet propellant-8 (JP-8) and to determine the potential of this community to cause corrosion of aluminum alloy 2024 (AA2024). Isolates cultured from fuel tanks containing JP-8 were closely related to the genus Bacillus and the fungi Aureobasidium and Penicillium. Biocidal activity of the fuel system icing inhibitor diethylene glycol monomethyl ether is the most likely cause of the prevalence of endospore forming bacteria. Electrochemical impedance spectroscopy and metallographic analysis of AA2024 exposed to the fuel tank environment indicated that the isolates caused corrosion of AA2024. Despite the limited taxonomic diversity of microorganisms recovered from jet fuel, the community has the potential to corrode fuel tanks.

References

Jan 1, 1986·Annual Review of Microbiology·B W Holloway, A F Morgan
Apr 1, 1983·The Journal of Applied Bacteriology·P A Barrow
Sep 1, 1997·Nucleic Acids Research·S F AltschulD J Lipman
Jan 1, 1957·Journal of Bacteriology·M PUZISS, S C RITTENBERG
Jul 6, 1963·British Medical Journal·A COPPEN, M METCALFE

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Citations

Dec 6, 2005·Journal of Industrial Microbiology & Biotechnology·Michelle E RauchMorley O Stone
Jun 21, 2015·Applied Microbiology and Biotechnology·Charles H D WilliamsonJohn R Spear
Dec 17, 2020·Nanomaterials·Inês B GomesLúcia C Simões
Sep 30, 2021·Applied and Environmental Microbiology·James G FloydBradley S Stevenson

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Methods Mentioned

BETA
PCR
optical microscopy

Software Mentioned

plot
BLAST
Paup

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