Diagnosing Microbiologically Influenced Corrosion: A State-of-the-Art Review

Diagnosing microbiologically influenced corrosion (MIC) after it has occurred requires a combination of microbiological, metallurgical, and chemical analyses. MIC investigations have typically attempted to 1) identify causative microorganisms in the bulk medium or associated with the corrosion products, 2) identify a pit morphology consistent with an MIC mechanism, and 3) identify a corrosion product chemistry that is consistent with the causative organisms. The following sections provide a discussion of available techniques, their advantages and disadvantages, and, most importantly, their limitations.