Corrosion of mild steel in cultures of sulphate-reducing bacteria: Effect of changing the soluble iron concentration during growth

Abstract

The corrosion of mild steel in cultures of sulphate-reducing bacteria has been studied and in particular the effect on the corrosion rate of changing from an iron-rich to a minimal-iron growth medium in semi-continuous cultures. The results indicate that the ferrous sulphide produced by the bacteria is the major corrosive agent in the system, and that the concentration of soluble iron is the determining factor in the rate of corrosion.