Technical Note:Mackinawite Formation During Microbial Corrosion

Abstract

Mackinawite, a tetragonal iron sulfide mineral, is generally a major corrosion product when iron alloys are corroded by sulfatereducing bacterie (SRB). The experimental database for the mineraf indicates that on nongeologic time scales, mackinawite, if it forms at all in nonbiological corrosion, does so only under very reducing conditions and in the presence of sulfide activities notnormally found in the biosphere or in ordinary corrosion testing.

Recent advances in the study of biocorrosion: an overview

“…Several models have been proposed to explain the mechanisms by which SRB can influence the corrosion of steel (Table 1) and it is clear that sulfate reducing activity is in some way involved. The product of this activity, sulfide, is corrosive; however, chemically-derived sulfide does not have the same degree of aggressivity (73,79,105), demonstrating the importance of bioprocesses and the irrelevance of experiments using abiotic, as opposed to biologically derived compounds. Videla et al (107) used energy dispersion X-ray analysis, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, X-ray diffraction, electron microprobe analysis, scanning electron microscopy and atomic force microscopy to demonstrate that the composition and structure of the sulfide films formed on carbon steel in the presence of the SRB, Desulfovibrio alaskensis, (biotic sulfides) were different from those formed in sterile, sulfide-containing medium (abiotic sulfides).…”

“…The presence of mackinawite and greigite among corrosion products of iron is generally evidence that SRB participated in the corrosion reaction (51,77,79). Under alternating reducing and oxidizing conditions, the partially oxidized iron oxide magnetite is often produced, along with lepidocrocite and goethite (51).…”

Microbial analysis and surface characterization of SABIC carbon steel corrosion in soils of different moisture levels

“…Mackinawite (tetragonal) is a particular form of iron sulfide that occurs frequently in immersion corrosion studies and is produced easily from iron and iron oxides by a consortium of microorganisms, including SRB [25]. Although mackinawite and pyrrhotite (hexagonal) are the most common forms of iron sulfide corrosion products, pyrrhotite is considered to be more thermodynamically favored in anoxic environments [24,26].…”

“…Iron sulfide has the characteristics of a semiconductor, acting as a medium for the transportation of electrons in a galvanic couple with the steel substance, enhancing the anodic and cathodic reaction [31]. Previous studies [26,32] have comprehensively examined the galvanic couple between pipes buried in soil and the sulfide-rich corrosion deposit that sustains the high corrosion rates observed at field sites. The main suggested mechanism of corrosion by SRB in an anaerobic environment is the effect of sulfide ion production by the reduction of sulfate by bacterial metabolic activity and its oxidation and reduction products [33][34][35].…”

Microbiological Induced Corrosion on Brass in Recycling Cooling Water System Makeup by Reclaimed Water

“…Many metals are sensible to MIC. Pitting, crevice corrosion, hydrogen embrittlement and deposit corrosion caused by MIC almost involve all kinds of fields, such as petrochemical industry, aviation, shipping, powder industry and so on [2][3][4][5][6]. According to statistics, MIC accounted for 20% in metal and building materials corrosion damages [7].…”