One of the greatest threats to maximum performance and system reliability in industrial equipment is fouling and corrosion of the equipment surfaces. Fouling and corrosion combined cost the U.S. billions of dollars annually. Much of the fouling is due to biofilms forming on equipment surfaces in contact with water and significant amounts of corrosion result from the resultant microbial activity at the equipment surface (generally a metal alloy). Biodeterioration has been observed on many materials including metals, concrete, wood, and plastics. Despite the concern over microbial corrosion, most of its literature contains anecdotal material. This investigation focuses on microbial corrosion of metals and metal alloys. Measurements will focus on defining the metal-biofilm interface through the use of microelectrodes and real time electrochemical monitoring of corrosion processes. Microbial process engineering techniques will integrate the measurements in a model for describing/predicting microbial corrosion in industrial environments. New instrumentation or new uses for current instrumentation related to detecting, identifying, and monitoring microbial corrosion processes are also anticipated outcomes of the research.

Project Start
Project End
Budget Start
1988-03-01
Budget End
1990-08-31
Support Year
Fiscal Year
1987
Total Cost
$100,207
Indirect Cost
Name
Montana State University
Department
Type
DUNS #
City
Bozeman
State
MT
Country
United States
Zip Code
59717