Beyond corrosion: development of a single cell-ICP-ToF-MS method to uncover the process of microbiologically influenced corrosion

Abstract The development of the microbiologically influenced corrosion (MIC)-specific inductively coupled plasma-time of flight-mass spectrometry (ICP-ToF-MS) analytical method presented here, in combination with the investigation of steel-MIC interactions, contributes significantly to progress in instrumental MIC analysis. For this, a MIC-specific staining procedure was developed, which ensures the analysis of intact cells. It allows the analysis of archaea at a single cell level, which is extremely scarce compared to other well-characterized organisms. The detection method revealed elemental selectivity for the corrosive methanogenic strain Methanobacterium-affiliated IM1. Hence, the possible uptake of individual elements from different steel samples was investigated and results showed the cells responded at a single-cell level to the different types of supplemented elements and displayed the abilities to uptake chromium, vanadium, titanium, cobalt, and molybdenum from solid metal surfaces. The methods developed and information obtained will be used in the future to elucidate underlying mechanisms, compliment well-developed methods, such as SEM-EDS, and develop novel material protection concepts. Graphical Abstract Graphical Abstract Schematic of experimental procedure by 1) MIC cell culture & incubation in liquid culture or on solid steel samples, 2) DNA-staining via Ir DNA intercalator and 3) sc-ICP-ToF-MS analysis resulting in multielemental cell spikes.