Which chemical factors influence the occurrence of MIC and other forms of corrosion and help to diagnose MIC?
The following chemical factors can greatly influence the occurrence of MIC and other forms of corrosion and are helpful in diagnosing MIC: • The amount of water available is very important since it is required for microbial growth and activities and corrosion reactions. Without water, microbial growth and corrosion reactions cannot proceed. • Oxygen (O2) is very important to the growth and activities of many MIC bacteria and drives several important corrosion reactions at accelerated rates. Reducing or eliminating oxygen can greatly reduce corrosion rates, including MIC. • The pH of the environment can have a dramatic effect on the type of corrosion and corrosion rates. Lower pH (increased acidity) tends to promote corrosion while elevated pH (more alkaline) tends to reduce some corrosion rates. Raising the pH of water in a system will not, by itself, stop MIC. • Alkalinity is a measure of the amount of substances, primarily carbonates (CO3 2-) and bicarbonates (HCO3-), in the water ca
