title: An assessment of alternative diesel fuels: microbiological contamination and corrosion under storage conditions.
abstract: Experiments were designed to evaluate the nature and extent of microbial contamination and the potential for microbiologically influenced corrosion of alloys exposed in a conventional high sulfur diesel (L100) and alternative fuels, including 100% biodiesel (B100), ultra-low sulfur diesel (ULSD) and blends of ULSD and B100 (B5 and B20). In experiments with additions of distilled water, all fuels supported biofilm formation. Changes in the water pH did not correlate with observations related to corrosion. In all exposures, aluminum 5052 was susceptible to pitting while stainless steel 304L exhibited passive behavior. Carbon steel exhibited uniform corrosion in ULSD and L100, and passive behavior in B5, B20, and B100.
authors.affiliation: Naval Research Laboratory, Codes 7332/7303, Stennis Space Center, MS, USA. jlee@nrlssc.navy.mil
authors.forename: Jason S
authors.initials: JS
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.forename: Richard I
authors.initials: RI
authors.lastname: Ray
authors.forename: Brenda J
authors.initials: BJ
authors.lastname: Little
mesh_terms: D056804:Biofuels / Q000382:microbiology* / Q000592:standards; D003343:Corrosion; D004563:Electrochemistry
chemical_list: D056804:Biofuels