Microbiologically-Influenced Corrosion or MIC is of interest to at least two of EBNet’s Working GroupsĀ –Ā the Bioelectrochemical Systems and Anaerobic Fermentation WGs, which supported a forthcoming materials study.Ā The full report is embargoed for now, but an outline is available here.
Meanwhile a recently-published review by one of the study’s contributors looks at the potential of electrochemical (EC) techniques for detecting and understanding MIC in both laboratory and field settings. It considers the fundamental electron transfer mechanisms and microbial interactions with corroding metal surfaces, and describes the strengths and inherent limitations of EC in assessing corrosion rates at various scales.
Non-destructive and electrical stimulating techniques are discussed, highlighting their applicability for field conditions. Emerging local techniques are also assessed for their potential in laboratory MIC investigations. The review concludes that despite their limitations, advanced EC methods integrated with microelectrodes and microscopy can facilitate exploration of MIC phenomena in a multi-evidence approach.
For more details see the paper or contact Prof Julian Wharton, University of Southampton
Fundamentals and critical appraisal of electrochemical techniques for investigating microbial corrosion. Cristiani, P., Moradi, M., Basseguy, R., Macdonald, D., Gu, T., Zhang, D., Wharton, J. and Xu, D., 2025.Ā Corrosion Science, p.112694.