Cr3+ Influence on microbial cluster formation in biofilm and on steel corrosion

Pit corrosion of mild steel in seawater increased with Cr3+ concentration. SEM observations showed that increasing Cr3+ concentration caused microbes in biofilm on the steel surface to aggregate forming clusters. AFM images suggested that pit corrosion occurred largely on the mild steel surface between clusters, and only little corrosion on the surface covered by microbes

Keywords:

biofilm , chromium , corrosion , microbial clusters , sulphate-reducing bacteria