The influence of macrofouling on the corrosion behaviour of API 5L X65 carbon steel.
Seawater is a complex corrosive system, and biofouling is one of the factors that influences corrosion processes. The behaviour of corrosion associated with the development of macrofouling was investigated during the first 6 months of the successional process. Three treatments were compared: the 'Control' treatment (absence of macrofouling); 'Community' treatment, and 'Barnacle' treatment, where other macroorganisms were excluded. In the Community treatment, the dominant organisms were filamentous macroalgae (23.73%), barnacles (17.51%), hydroids (16.96%) and encrusting bryozoans (9.58%). In the Barnacle treatment, the cover varied between 39.38% and 62.50%. The corrosion potential ranged from -665.75 to -517.50 mV(Ag/AgC l((KCl))) and could not be associated with fouling development. The highest corrosion rate in the control suggests that macrofouling provides a protection against mass loss. The highest percentage of localised attacks was found in the Community treatment. This may indicate that not only barnacles, but also other organisms induce localised corrosion.
de Brito
Luciana V R
LV
Programa de Pós-Graduação em Biologia Marinha, Universidade Federal Fluminense (UFF), Rio de Janeiro, Brasil.
Coutinho
Ricardo
R
Cavalcanti
Eduardo H S
EH
Benchimol
Marlene
M
D000818:Animals; D002244:Carbon / Q000737:chemistry*; D003343:Corrosion; D004463:Ecology; D008855:Microscopy, Electron, Scanning; D009792:Oceans and Seas; D013232:Steel / Q000737:chemistry*; D001468:Thoracica / Q000378:metabolism*; D013997:Time Factors
D013232:Steel; D002244:Carbon