The influence of putrid seawater on the performance of mild steel has been investigated in laboratory tests with decomposing Ulva lactuca. During a 30-day period, the corrosion of steel was considerably enhanced by increased rates of putrefaction. However, accelerated rates of corrosion in the presence of large amounts of decomposing organisms were limited to the initial stages prior to oxygen depletion and rapid sulfide production. Evidence for microbiological oxidation of sulfur in algal proteins is presented, and this process appears to have a significant effect on pH. Acidification of seawater by thiobacilli and the coexistence of oxygen and sulfide are two important phenomena involved in corrosion enhancement contrary to the prevalent thought emphasizing anaerobic corrosion. Implications of the present findings to natural systems are considered.
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Eashwar et al. (1993) studied this question.
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