Seawater Deoxygenation: Problem or Solution?
Abstract
Laboratory experiments were designed to test the hypothesis that oxygen is required for aggressive corrosion of carbon steel exposed to natural seawater. Uncoated carbon steel was maintained for 1 year under the following stagnant conditions: (1) natural seawater open to air, and (2) anaerobic natural seawater stripped of oxygen. Hamilton recently proposed a model for corrosion of carbon steel due to anaerobic sulfate-reducing bacteria (SRB) in which sulfate, an intermediate electron acceptor, is reduced to sulfide. In his model, sulfide reacts with iron to form a corrosion product that ultimately transfers electrons to oxygen. Consistent with that model, most reported cases of aggressive SRB-induced corrosion of carbon steel in marine waters are in environments with some dissolved oxygen in the bulk medium. However, Hamilton's theory does not address corrosion rates in anaerobic waters with multiple electron acceptors.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Jan 01, 2005
- Accession Number
- ADA522130
Entities
People
- Brenda J. Little
- E. J. Lemieux
- J. Lee
- R. I. Ray
Organizations
- United States Naval Research Laboratory