Akrima Abu Bakar

Microbiologically Induced Corrosion Monitoring Using Open-Circuit Potential (OCP) Measurements

This study investigates how sulfate-reducing bacteria (SRB) influence the process of microbiologically induced corrosion (MIC) of carbon steel by measuring corrosion potential using open-circuit potential (OCP) measurements. MIC is mainly influenced by Desulfovibrio vulgaris, formerly known as Desulfovibrio desulfuricans subsp. Desulfuricans, deposited as spirillum desulfuricans, which produces D(-)-lactate dehydrogenase. This strain was recommended by ATCC to be used in the tests described in ASTM. A pure colony of SRB was isolated from the Baram and Sungai Ular areas in Malaysia. An evaluation of SRB growth was performed during the test in the inoculated medium anaerobically at 37 ̊. The results showed that the corrosion potential Eoc increases in the presence of SRB in pure and mixed cultures as compared to the control sample. These results indicate that the SRB caused the metal loss on the carbon steel surface through direct corrosive action of the H2S generated by the bacteria during their metabolic process of reducing sulfates to the sulfide form.

Hybrid soliwave technique for mitigating sulfate-reducing bacteria in controlling biocorrosion: a case study on crude oil sample

ABSTRACT Microbiologically influenced corrosion (MIC) is among the common corrosion types for buried and deep-water pipelines that result in costly repair and pipeline failure. Sulfate-reducing bacteria (SRB) are commonly known as the culprit of MIC. The aim of this work is to investigate the performance of combination of ultrasound (US) irradiation and ultraviolet (UV) radiation (known as Hybrid soliwave technique, HyST) at pilot scale to inactivate SRB. The influence of different reaction times with respect to US irradiation and UV radiation and synergistic effect toward SRB consortium was tested and discussed. In this research, the effect of HyST treatment toward SRB extermination and corrosion studies of carbon steel coupon upon SRB activity before and after the treatment were performed using weight loss method. The carbon steel coupons immersed in SRB sample were exposed to HyST treatment at different time of exposure. Additionally, Field Emission Scanning Electron Microscopy coupled with Energy Dispersive X-ray Spectroscopy were used to investigate the corrosion morphology in verifying the end product of SRB activity and corrosion formation after treatment. Results have shown that the US irradiation treatment gives a synergistic effect when combined with UV radiation in mitigating the SRB consortium.

Turbidity Method to Measure the Growth of Anaerobic Bacteria Related to Microbiologically Influenced Corrosion

This study defines the interrelationship between turbidities and cell number counting efficiency for the growth of one of the microbiologically influenced corrosion (MIC) species in a medium. The metabolism activities during bacteria growth can accelerate the corrosion process and shorten the reliability of pipelines. Thus, the investigation of MIC species’ development and metabolic activities is significant. An experiment was performed on sulfate-reducing bacteria (SRB) that practiced the medium as the substance to grow. Desulfovibrio vulgaris, a strain of SRB, was cultured in a postgate C medium to measure the bacteria survival using two different measurement methods. The medium was modified to pH 7.5 at 37°C and placed in anaerobic vials. During 24 hours of incubation, samples were retrieved, and the value of turbidity and cell numbers was measured. Based on the SRB growth graph pattern, the amount of bacteria cell numbers was increased parallel to the value of the medium’s turbidity in respect to time. Both values (turbidity and bacteria cell numbers) dramatically increased from hour1 to hour24. The results supported that the turbidity value was positively correlated with bacteria cell numbers.