Sulphate reducing bacteria influenced corrosion of a low carbon steel in marine environment: the role of dissolved organic carbon and temperature

Michael Olatunde; Alfred Akisanya; Karen Scott; Jennifer Martin; Amir Siddiq; Srinivas Sriramula; Alethea Madgett

Sulphate reducing bacteria influenced corrosion of a low carbon steel in marine environment: the role of dissolved organic carbon and temperature

Michael Olatunde, Alfred Akisanya^* (Corresponding Author), Karen Scott, Jennifer Martin, Amir Siddiq, Srinivas Sriramula, Alethea Madgett

^*Corresponding author for this work

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Abstract

Sulphate Reducing Bacteria (SRB) are significant contributors to corrosion in marine environments. The corrosion induced by SRB can be influenced by the concentration of Dissolved Organic Carbon (DOC) in the media. In this study, we experimentally investigated the synergistic effects of DOC, temperature, and exposure time on the corrosion rate and morphology of a low carbon steel in seawater containing SRB. The results showed that the corrosion rate was inversely proportional to the DOC concentration up to 25 days, but directly proportional for the subsequent 100 days of exposure, up to 125 days. There was no significant effect of temperatures between 15– 25 o C on the corrosion rate. Localised corrosion activity of the SRB was found to be influenced by the heterogeneity of porous biofilm-corrosion product matrix on the steel surface.

Original language	English
Article number	106156
Number of pages	10
Journal	International Biodeterioration & Biodegradation
Volume	204
Early online date	27 Jun 2025
Publication status	E-pub ahead of print - 27 Jun 2025

Bibliographical note

Open Access via the Elsevier agreement

Data Availability Statement

Data will be made available on request.

Keywords

Sulphate Reducing Bacteria
Microbiologically Influenced Corrosion
pitting corrosion
dissolved organic carbon (DOC)
low-carbon steel

UN SDGs

This output contributes to the following UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)

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Sulphate reducing bacteria influenced corrosion of a low carbon steel in marine environment: the role of dissolved organic carbon and temperature. / Olatunde, Michael; Akisanya, Alfred (Corresponding Author); Scott, Karen et al.
In: International Biodeterioration & Biodegradation, Vol. 204, 106156, 08.2025.

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

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title = "Sulphate reducing bacteria influenced corrosion of a low carbon steel in marine environment: the role of dissolved organic carbon and temperature",

abstract = "Sulphate Reducing Bacteria (SRB) are significant contributors to corrosion in marine environments. The corrosion induced by SRB can be influenced by the concentration of Dissolved Organic Carbon (DOC) in the media. In this study, we experimentally investigated the synergistic effects of DOC, temperature, and exposure time on the corrosion rate and morphology of a low carbon steel in seawater containing SRB. The results showed that the corrosion rate was inversely proportional to the DOC concentration up to 25 days, but directly proportional for the subsequent 100 days of exposure, up to 125 days. There was no significant effect of temperatures between 15– 25 o C on the corrosion rate. Localised corrosion activity of the SRB was found to be influenced by the heterogeneity of porous biofilm-corrosion product matrix on the steel surface.",

keywords = "Sulphate Reducing Bacteria, Microbiologically Influenced Corrosion, pitting corrosion, dissolved organic carbon (DOC), low-carbon steel",

author = "Michael Olatunde and Alfred Akisanya and Karen Scott and Jennifer Martin and Amir Siddiq and Srinivas Sriramula and Alethea Madgett",

note = "Open Access via the Elsevier agreement",

year = "2025",

month = jun,

day = "27",

language = "English",

volume = "204",

journal = "International Biodeterioration & Biodegradation",

issn = "0964-8305",

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T1 - Sulphate reducing bacteria influenced corrosion of a low carbon steel in marine environment

T2 - the role of dissolved organic carbon and temperature

AU - Olatunde, Michael

AU - Akisanya, Alfred

AU - Scott, Karen

AU - Martin, Jennifer

AU - Siddiq, Amir

AU - Sriramula, Srinivas

AU - Madgett, Alethea

N1 - Open Access via the Elsevier agreement

PY - 2025/6/27

Y1 - 2025/6/27

N2 - Sulphate Reducing Bacteria (SRB) are significant contributors to corrosion in marine environments. The corrosion induced by SRB can be influenced by the concentration of Dissolved Organic Carbon (DOC) in the media. In this study, we experimentally investigated the synergistic effects of DOC, temperature, and exposure time on the corrosion rate and morphology of a low carbon steel in seawater containing SRB. The results showed that the corrosion rate was inversely proportional to the DOC concentration up to 25 days, but directly proportional for the subsequent 100 days of exposure, up to 125 days. There was no significant effect of temperatures between 15– 25 o C on the corrosion rate. Localised corrosion activity of the SRB was found to be influenced by the heterogeneity of porous biofilm-corrosion product matrix on the steel surface.

AB - Sulphate Reducing Bacteria (SRB) are significant contributors to corrosion in marine environments. The corrosion induced by SRB can be influenced by the concentration of Dissolved Organic Carbon (DOC) in the media. In this study, we experimentally investigated the synergistic effects of DOC, temperature, and exposure time on the corrosion rate and morphology of a low carbon steel in seawater containing SRB. The results showed that the corrosion rate was inversely proportional to the DOC concentration up to 25 days, but directly proportional for the subsequent 100 days of exposure, up to 125 days. There was no significant effect of temperatures between 15– 25 o C on the corrosion rate. Localised corrosion activity of the SRB was found to be influenced by the heterogeneity of porous biofilm-corrosion product matrix on the steel surface.

KW - Sulphate Reducing Bacteria

KW - Microbiologically Influenced Corrosion

KW - pitting corrosion

KW - dissolved organic carbon (DOC)

KW - low-carbon steel

M3 - Article

SN - 0964-8305

VL - 204

JO - International Biodeterioration & Biodegradation

JF - International Biodeterioration & Biodegradation

M1 - 106156

ER -

Sulphate reducing bacteria influenced corrosion of a low carbon steel in marine environment: the role of dissolved organic carbon and temperature

Abstract

Bibliographical note

Data Availability Statement

Keywords

UN SDGs

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