Experimental and computational study of levofloxacin as corrosion inhibitor for carbon steel in acidic media

The corrosion inhibition behaviour of levofloxacin was investigated on carbon steel by means of a 2 M HCl solution, using potentiodynamic polarization measurement and Quantum chemical studies. The inhibitive effect of the studied compound was found to increase with increasing concentration and to increase with increasing temperature. The study reveals that levofloxacin is a mixed-type corrosion inhibitor. The adsorption of levofloxacin on carbon steel surface obeys the Langmuir adsorption isotherm and involves physical adsorption mechanisms. Quantum chemical studies corroborate experimental results.