Microbially Influenced Corrosion and Biodeterioration of Structural Metals

Abstract

The literature on Microbiologically Influenced Corrosion (MIC) for the past 20-25 years was reviewed by standpoint on the microbiological processes happening on the material surface resulting in corrosion. The literatures showed early studies largely used electrochemical techniques to determine the corrosion due to microbes. However, the works in the recent past realized the importance of biological processes, which include bacterial adhesion and interaction of their metabolic end products with the materials leading to material degradation. Regarding the materials that were studied for the incidence of MIC, metals attracted the major attention during the early period, which over a period of time spilled over to other materials such as concrete, composites, plastic, art materials etc. This review mentions the need for an interdisciplinary approach between the material scientists and microbiologists to realistically study MIC on industrially important materials.