Microbiologically Influenced Corrosion

Abstract

The term microbiologically influenced corrosion (MIC) is used to designate corrosion due to the presence and activities of microorganisms, ie, those organisms that cannot be seen individually with the unaided human eye, including microalgae, archaea, bacteria, and fungi. Microorganisms can accelerate rates of partial reactions in corrosion processes or shift the mechanism for corrosion. Microorganisms can influence pitting, dealloying, enhanced erosion corrosion, enhanced galvanic corrosion, stress corrosion cracking, and hydrogen embrittlement. Microbiologically influenced corrosion has been reported for all engineering metals and alloys with the exception of predominantly titanium and high chromium–nickel alloys. It has been documented for metals and nonmetals exposed to seawater, freshwater, distilled/demineralized water, crude and distillate hydrocarbon fuels, process chemicals, foodstuffs, soils, human plasma, saliva, and sewage. The following sections describe the estimated costs of MIC, mechanisms, and causative microorganisms contributing to MIC; techniques for diagnosing, measuring, and monitoring; engineering practices that influence MIC and strategies to prevent or mitigate MIC.

Thermal effects on microbial composition and microbiologically induced corrosion and mineral precipitation affecting operation of a geothermal plant in a deep saline aquifer

“…It is thus likely that SRB detected in fluids produced from the cold well accelerated corrosion at the submersible pump and were most likely involved in or perhaps responsible for the operational failure. Desulfotomaculum species often cause corrosive damage to steel structures, such as pipeline systems and storage tanks (Hamilton 1985;Little and Lee 2007). Besides SRB, fermentative Halanaerobium were detected in biofilms of corroded pipelines (NeriaGonzalez et al 2006).…”

“…Therefore, the detrimental effect of microbes on power plant components has increasingly garnered attention. Indeed, several studies have been conducted to identify the organisms responsible for phenomena such as scaling, biofouling, and corrosion of installed iron or steel in groundwater wells and geothermal plants (Taylor et al 1997;Sand 2003;Cullimore 2007;Little and Lee 2007;Valdez et al 2009) to reduce these sources of failure, plant downtime, and the cost-intensive replacement of plant components. For example, the effectiveness of groundwater wells can be influenced by scaling, as iron and other metallic cations are enriched by precipitation that leads to the formation of amorphous or crystalline structures.…”

Potential and Drawbacks of Raman (Micro)spectrometry for the Understanding of Iron and Steel Corrosion

“…The heterogeneity of the biofilm that covers the metal surface can lead to a galvanic interaction between regions of microbial activity and the surface. This leads to locally accelerated corrosion pits (Videla & Characklis, 1992;Marchal, 1999;Beech & Sunner, 2004;Little & Lee, 2007). When metal is associated with organic materials (some paints, films used for "conservation" treatments of archaeological artefacts, …), consequence of microbiologically induced corrosion can be severe when contact with air: cracks occur due to the volume increase associated to iron oxidation and simultaneously sulphuric acid is produced.…”

The use of nano-/microlayers, self-healing and slow-release coatings to prevent corrosion and biofouling

“…The following summarize the most important phenomena caused by microorganisms (Borenstein, 1994;Kearns, 1994;Videla, 1996;Little et al, 2007;Javaherdashti, 2008). MIC occurs both on metallic and non-metallic surfaces, in the presence or absence of oxygen.…”

“…The microorganisms with their presence and aggressive metabolites initiate pitting corrosion which begins beneath the biofilm where a concentration of cells forms, leading to localized corrosion. (Little et al, 2007)) it is necessary to use a number of complementary measurements. Change in the redox potential is not selective so that noise analysis is recommended in the case of local corrosion and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy is applicable to general corrosion.…”