Iron corrosion by methanogenic archaea characterized by stable isotope effects and crust mineralogy.

Carbon and hydrogen stable isotope effects associated with methane formation by the corrosive archaeon Methanobacterium strain IM1 were determined during growth with hydrogen and iron. Isotope analyses were complemented by structural, elemental and molecular composition analyses of corrosion crusts. During growth with H , strain IM1 formed methane with average δ C of -43.