Corrosion of stainless steels in marine conditions containing sulphate reducing bacteria

The corrosion behaviour of a range of austenitic and duplex stainless steels has been studied in sea water containing sulphate reducing bacteria under conditions where the influence of an external aerated steel surface is absent. By means of a combination of anodic polarization, cathodic polarization, galvanic coupling experiments, microscopy, and microanalysis, the complex corrosion behaviour has been rationalized. It has been demonstrated that severe corrosion, involving a number of localized and general features, can occur in the low oxygen conditions, and good correlation has been obtained between accelerated electrochemical tests and long term corrosion occurring without the intervention of electrochemical monitoring.