Effect of Biodiesel Concentration on

Corrosion of Carbon Steel by Bacillus megaterium

Yustina M Pusparizkita, Tjandra Setiadi, Ardiyan Harimawan

Department of Chemical Engineering

Bandung Institute of Technology

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 Energy CONSUMPTION
Source: Outlook Energy Indonesia ,2016

The existence of biofuels is necessary to anticipate the depletion of fossil fuels.

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 INSTITUT TEKNOLOGI BANDUNG

Biodiesel is one of the alternative fuels that mixed into diesel oil.
The Indonesian government through Permen ESDM No. 12
2015 expects the use of biodiesel up to 30% of total fuel
demand.

April Januari Januari Januari

Sectors
2015 2016 2020 2025
Fisheries, agriculture,
transportation and public 15 % 20% 30% 30%
services
Industrial and commercial 15% 20% 30% 30%
Power plants 25% 30% 30% 30%
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 Petroleum products and biofuels are usually stored
in a large tank made of carbon steel.
The carbon steel has a susceptibility to corrosion
by microorganisms.

Corrosion in the tank may occur because

microorganisms can degrade hydrocarbons
as a source of nutrients.

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Source: Groysman, 2014
• For some species that play a role, Bacillus sp. are
known to dominate the biodegradation of
petroleum hydrocarbons.
• Bacillus megaterium is one of the species that
identified in diesel and naphtha transport pipelines
and may potentially cause biocorrosion .

With the increasing use of biodiesel mixed with diesel oil, it was necessary to
examine the characteristics of carbon steel on biocorrosion (the ratio of the
number of bacteria attached to the biofilm, the biofilm morphology and the
rate of corrosion in biodiesel and diesel oil blends).
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• Increase the number of B. megaterium is Bushnell Haas medium and diesel
oil
1.4

1.2

1
Absorbance

0.8

0.6

0.4

0.2

0
0 5 10 15 20 25 30 35
Days

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• The hydrocarbon to be used as medium is sterilized
with a pore size membrane of 0.45 μm
• The metal was cut into 1 cm x 1 cm based on ASTM G
31-72 standard
• The specimens are smoothed using 240-1200 grid
abrasive paper (based on ASTM G 1-81)
• The reactor is then stored at 25oC and under anaerobic
condition for 10 days

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 Day 1 Growth of B. megaterium on biofilms
15% 20% 30%

The growth of B.megaterium in biofilms is

influenced by the concentration of
biodiesel.
Day 5
15% 20% 30% 2.5

Number of colonies ( x104 CFU/cm2)

2

1.5

1
Day 10
15% 20% 30% 0.5

0
1 3 5 7 10
Days

Biodiesel 15% Biodiesel 20% Biodiesel 30%

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B. megaterium corrosion attack
• The damage caused by the activity B. megaterium in
biofilms is pitting corrosion.
• The occurrence of corrosion on metal surfaces can be
triggered by metabolite products produced by the
activity of B. megaterium in biofilms.

The products of oxidation of biodiesel

in the form of carboxylic acids,
aldehydes, and alcohols in the biofilm
can be corrosive, thus affecting the
corrosion rate in metals
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 B.megaterium corrosion rate
The corrosion rate can be calculated by determining the loss of mass occurring in the
metal.

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 B.megaterium corrosion rate
The corrosion rate can be calculated by determining the loss of mass occurring in the
metal.
Control
Variation Diesel Oil
15% 20% 30%
Corrosion rate
0,039 0,085±0,056 0,087±0,060 0,130±0,113
(mm/year)
Increased corrosion rate 2,1x 2,2x 3,3x
compared to diesel oil
B. megaterium
Variation Diesel Oil
15% 20% 30%
Corrosion rate
0.259±0.196 0.367±0.222 0.381±0.2673
(mm/year) 0,039
Increased corrosion rate 6.6x 9.4x 9.8x
compared to diesel oil 11
B.megaterium corrosion products

The resulting corrosion products are mostly Fe2O3 and Fe3O4.

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B. megaterium corrosion mechanism
Solution [1]

Specimen : Fe ⇄ Fe2+ + 2e- [2]

: Fe2+ ⇄ Fe3+ + 1e- [3]
Mikroorganism : H2O2 ⇄ O2 + H2O [4]
: O2 + 4H+ + 4e- ⇄ H2O [5]
Products : Fe2+ + OH- ⇄ Fe(OH)2 [6]
: 2Fe(OH)2+ ⇄ Fe2O3 + H2O + 2H+ [7]
: 3Fe2+ + 4H2O ⇄ Fe3O4 + 8H+ + 2e- [8]
: 2Fe2+ + 3H2O ⇄ Fe2O3 + 6H+ + 2e- [9]
: 2Fe3O4 + H2O ⇄ 3Fe2O3 + 2H+ + 2e- [10]

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 Research CONCLUTIONS

Bacterial growth in biofilms was influenced by the concentration of

biodiesel in diesel oil.

In the absence of microorganisms, the addition of biodiesel to diesel

oil can increase the corrosion rate.

The corrosion rate of mixed diesel and biodiesel medium increased up

to 9.8 times due to the activity of B. megaterium.

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 Thank you

The authors would like to express their special thanks to

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