Microbial inhibition of metal corrosion: a review

Abstract:

Traditional anti-corrosion methods are costly or may cause secondary pollution. Microbiologically influenced corrosion inhibition (MICI) is a new green anti-corrosion technology. With the discovery of variety anti-corrosion microorganisms and the development of the studies on beneficial bacterial films, many mechanisms of microbial inhibition of metal corrosion have been found. Microorganisms can inhibit or slow down metal corrosion by biocompetitive exclusion, secretion of corrosion inhibitors, generation of extracellular polymeric substances, reduction of dissolved oxygen, formation of biofilm barriers, secretion of biosurfactants, phage control, non-biofilm barriers and other processes. Microbial corrosion inhibition of metal is usually not caused by a single mechanism but rather a combination of different mechanisms. In-depth study of its inhibition mechanism is helpful to understand how to slow down the corrosion behavior of metals.