Effects of operational disruptions on corrosion of seabed chains and associated microbial community in offshore mooring systems

Several biological and chemical mechanisms are discussed in this paper. The data indicates that complex biogeochemical reactions were contributing to the observed corrosion, including several different biological pathways and types of S- and Fe-cycling, formation of protecting mineral layers and distribution of anodic and cathodic sections locally along the length of the seabed chains. Our findings emphasize the dynamic and unpredictable role of microbial communities, driving complex and spatially structured corrosion.