Biologically enhanced corrosion fatigue

Modelling of pitting corrosion in marine and offshore steel structures – A technical review

“…Recent studies show that the hydrogen sulphide produced by these organisms can have a serious effect on mechanical failure processes by increasing a metal's susceptibility to corrosion -especially pitting corrosion [106]. Thomas et al [106] stated that the effect of bacteria is particularly important for offshore structures; here it is envisaged that the combination of bacteria activity under marine fouling conditions, wave loading and an aggressive environment can result in the premature failure of metal components by pitting corrosion fatigue [106].…”

“…Thomas et al [106] stated that the effect of bacteria is particularly important for offshore structures; here it is envisaged that the combination of bacteria activity under marine fouling conditions, wave loading and an aggressive environment can result in the premature failure of metal components by pitting corrosion fatigue [106].…”

“…Marine fouling in offshore structures can have serious consequences on their integrity, enhancing both the corrosion and stress components of corrosion fatigue [106].…”

“…The corrosion of metals by sulphate-reducing bacteria (SRB) is well recognized as one of the factors that increase rate of pitting corrosion in marine environments [106].…”

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).…”