Corrosion of copper in a medium of bacteria sulfate reduction proceeding

Abstract

The paper deals with copper (99.9%) biocorrosion in neutral water-salt medium with sulfate-reducing bacteria of Desulfovibrio, Desulfomicrobium strains and the enrichment culture, gathered from the metal equipment surfaces of sewage treatment constructions. Using іnversion voltammetry, gravimetric, аnalytical and SЕM methods, it is found that the studied bacteria cultures differ in their corrosive and metabolic activity and are able to form a biofilm on the copper surface. Copper appeared to be more resistant to microbial corrosion initiated by Desulfomicrobium bacteria compared to that by Desulfovibrio bacteria. The corrosive aggressiveness of sulfate-reducing bacteria in the enrichment culture gathered from the biofilm on the sewage treatment constructions is sufficiently high. The corrosion rate observed equals that caused by Desulfovibrio genus.