MARINE CORROSION STUDIES .2. A BIOMARKER STUDY TRACING THE EARLY FORMATION OF BIOFILMS ON STEEL PLATES IN A MARINE-ENVIRONMENT

An introductory organic geochemical study is described of the biofilms produced on mild steel plates in a natural, temperate, seagrass environment. An algal film is succeeded by a bacterial community over a time scan of 6 days. By day 6 there is evidence for the development of a new algal community. Of the lipid biomarkers used to study the microbial communities developed on the top and bottom of the steel plates, the fatty acids are most informative. Monosaccharide signatures are described which show they also can be used equally sensitively to monitor changes in the econiches developed. By fractionating the polysaccharides it is possible to isolate acidic polysaccharides which are likely to be involved in the early stages of microbially induced corrosion in the marine environment. The hydrolysed monosaccharide composition of the polysaccharide fractions can also be used to reveal differences in community structure. © 1990.