Short communicationBiodegradation of biodiesel and microbiologically induced corrosion of 1018 steel by Moniliella wahieum Y12

•A putatively novel basidiomycetous fungus termed Moniliella wahieum Y12T was isolated and submitted to ATCC (MYA-4962).•M. wahieum Y12T was found to maximally degrade biodiesel at a rate of 3.56 × 10−2 mg/h during log phase growth.•In the presence of M. wahieum Y12T, '1018' steel corrosion exceeded controls by 70% as determined by mass loss procedure.

A putatively novel basidiomycetous fungus termed Moniliella wahieum Y12T was isolated from a 20% biodiesel blend. The strain maximally degraded biodiesel at a rate of 3.56 × 10−2 mg/h during log phase growth. Induction of metal corrosion by the strain in a mass loss procedure using 1018 metal coupons showed total mass reduction exceeded that in controls by 70% through 30 days. Enhanced corrosion was observed at the pellicle and due to medium acidification. This is the first investigation of a Moniliella sp. and its impact on biodiesel stability and 1018 steel corrosion. (M. wahieum Y12T = ATCC MYA-4962).