Environmental Microbiology, Soil Microbiology & Microbial Biogeochemistry

Microbial Corrosion

Microbiologically-Influenced Corrosion (MIC), also known as microbial corrosion or biological corrosion, is the deterioration of metals as a result of the metabolic activity of microorganisms. There are about a dozen of bacteria known to cause microbiologically influenced corrosion of carbon steels, stainless steels, aluminium alloys and copper alloys in waters and soils with pH 4~9.These bacteria can be broadly classified as aerobic (requires oxygen to become active) or anaerobic (oxygen is toxic to the bacteria). Sulphate reducing bacteria (SRB) is anaerobic and is responsible for most instances of accelerated corrosion damages to ships and offshore steel structures. Iron and manganese oxidizing bacteria are aerobic and are frequently associated with accelerated pitting attacks on stainless steels at welds.