Mitigation of aerobic microbiologically influenced corrosion of AISI 1018 using expired ceftriaxone

• A.A.P. Talavera¹, U.L. Silva¹, R.S. Guerrero², R.S. Delgado³, L.L.C. Gómez¹, J.J.E. Alatorre¹ and A.M.S. Delgado³

¹ Centro de Investigación en Ingeniería y Ciencias Aplicadas, Universidad Autónoma del Estado de Morelos, Av. Universidad 1001, Col. Chamilpa, C.P. 62209, Cuernavaca, Morelos, México
² Centro de Investigación en Química Aplicada, CIQA. Blvd. Enrique Reyna Hermosillo No. 140, C.P. 25294, Saltillo, Coahuila, México
³ Instituto Tecnológico de Zacatepec, Calzada Tecnológico No. 27, Col. Centro, C.P. 62780, Zacatepec, Morelos, México

Abstract: This study evaluated expired ceftriaxone as a potential corrosion-mitigation agent for aerobic microbiologically influenced corrosion (MIC) of AISI 1018 under sterile and microbiologically active conditions. AISI 1018 specimens were exposed to distilled and sterilized water, bacterial systems, ceftriaxone-containing systems, and their combinations. Corrosion behavior was assessed by open circuit potential, linear polarization resistance, electrochemical impedance spectroscopy, and 20-day gravimetric measurements. Surface morphology and elemental composition were examined by scanning electron microscopy coupled with energy-dispersive spectroscopy, while supplementary optical microscopy was used to qualitatively observe cell-like particles and motility; no quantitative bacterial-growth assay was performed. Ceftriaxone-containing systems generally exhibited lower corrosion than the corresponding untreated systems, as indicated by increased polarization resistance and charge-transfer resistance, reduced mass loss, and less extensive accumulation of visible surface deposits. The electrochemical and gravimetric responses showed concentration-dependent behavior, with the highest charge-transfer resistance at 400 ppm and the lowest 20-day mass loss at 2000 ppm. Under bacterial exposure, corrosion mitigation coincided with the absence of observable active motility in microscopic preparations treated with ceftriaxone. Because bacterial growth was not quantified, this observation cannot be interpreted as evidence of reduced bacterial growth. Furthermore, the present results do not allow the contribution of reduced microbial activity to be distinguished from possible direct interfacial effects of ceftriaxone. The findings provide exploratory evidence that expired ceftriaxone can mitigate aerobic MIC of AISI 1018 under the investigated conditions and provide a basis for further investigation of the microbiological and electrochemical contributions to the observed response.

Keywords: microbiologically influenced corrosion, AISI 1018, expired ceftriaxone, corrosion mitigation, microbial motility

Int. J. Corros. Scale Inhib., 2026, 15, no. 4, 396-422
doi: 10.17675/2305-6894-2026-15-4-17

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