Influence of bacteria on film formation inhibiting corrosion

Mild steel coupons were incubated separately in two bacterial cultures namely Pseudomonas flava and Pseudomonas stutzeri. A significant reduction in the corrosion rate was observed in presence of P. flava. With a view to understand the mechanisms of microbially influenced corrosion/corrosion inhibition, various electrochemical and biological experiments such as weight change measurements and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) measurements were made. The exposed surfaces were examined using scanning electron microscope (SEM) and energy dispersive X-ray analysis (EDAX). The scraped surface film was also examined using FT-IR (Fourier transform infra red) spectroscopy. The results suggest that P. flava have enhancing effect on corrosion inhibitive properties of phosphate film. (C) 2003 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.