Microbially Influenced Corrosion of Carbon Steels

Abstract

Abstract Microbially influenced corrosion of pipeline steels is an economically important problem. Microbes form tubercles which block fluid flow and can facilitate localized corrosion leading to through-wall penetrations. Microbes of diverse physiological types and metabolic potentialities have been recovered from fresh tubercles or under-deposit corrosion and have been characterized. In tests utilizing sterilizable flow-through systems containing pipeline steel coupons, corrosion rates determined by nondestructive electrochemical means have indicated that increasing the number of physiological types of microbes inoculated into the system generally increased the severity of the microbially influenced corrosion (MIC). This study reports the MIC of monocultures and combinations of monocultures in an aerobic fresh water system with low sulfate and an anaerobic saline system. In both the aerobic and anaerobic systems, the combination of microbes induced greater MIC responses than the monocultures. In tests involving a combination of microbes in both systems in which one member was a sulfate-reducing bacteria (SRB), the corrosion mechanism was different for the control and the monocultures. This difference was indicated by the phase shift in the electrochemical impedance spectra (EIS). The localization of corrosion, that in many cases is the hallmark of MIC, may be initiated by the inhomogeneities of supposedly smooth metal surfaces. The scanning vibrating electrode technique (SVET) demonstrated non-uniform current densities over carbon steel electrodes polished to a 600 grit finish suggesting pitting and repassivation of pits in sterile medium.