SwRI: Microbially Influenced Corrosion Services, Center for Nuclear Waste Regulatory Analyses

Microbially influenced corrosion (MIC) may be defined as accelerated corrosion of susceptible metals as a result of the direct, indirect, or combined actions of microbial metabolism. In many circumstances, particularly for corrosion-resistant alloys such as stainless steels, MIC manifests itself primarily as localized corrosion in the form of pitting, and causes high penetration rates of system components.

 

Southwest Research Institute (SwRI) has been conducting work on MIC for the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) to assess its effect on the life of waste packages that will be designed by the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) to potentially confine nuclear waste for many thousands of years. Our expertise developed from the nuclear waste management program is readily available for application to other industries.

 

image of microbially induced corrosion that penetrated through the wall of this 316L stainless steel seawater pipe.

Microbially influenced corrosion has penetrated through the wall of this 316L stainless steel seawater pipe.


image of pitting corrosion caused by sulfate-reducing bacteria on 304L stainless steel in a chloride-free solution at room temperature.

Pitting corrosion was caused by sulfate-reducing bacteria on 304L stainless steel in a chloride-free solution at room temperature.


For more information about microbially influenced corrosion capabilities at SwRI or how you can contract with SwRI, please contact Dr. Keith Axler at kaxler@swri.org, (210) 522-2951 or Dr. Gary Walter at gwalter@swri.org, (210) 522-3805.

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Southwest Research Institute® (SwRI®) is an independent, nonprofit, applied engineering and physical sciences research and development organization with 12 technical divisions using multidisciplinary approaches to problem solving. The Institute occupies more than 1,200 acres and provides nearly two million square feet of laboratories, test facilities, workshops, and offices for more than 3,300 employees who perform contract work for industry and government clients.