Microbial Induced Corrosion Testing
Testing for organisms that can proliferate and cause corrosion is known as microbial induced corrosion (MIC). MIC is an important part of product development for products such as concrete, metal, and plumbing, and can help determine a product’s performance while in use in its intended environment.
Microbial Induced Corrosion can be a significant challenge in concrete, metal, plumbing, and in industrial and commercial facilities.
Often seen in fire-suppression systems and concrete sewage pipes, MIC can be difficult to detect and manage.
The first step in controlling MIC is to determine if the corrosion is microbial. The particular harmful organisms can be hard to detect and the environment has to be just right for growth.
Production plants and facilities have many vectors from which these organisms can originate.
We recommend testing the area where the problem seems to be most prevalent. Sample sets can become quite large; prior to running a full facility test for microbial induced corrosion, the first step is to establish the presence of specific organisms.
The lab has extensive experience in detecting the presence of the hard-to-find anaerobic bacteria that are often at the root of these contaminations.
Additional Testing Information
Autotrophic Bacteria
Autotrophic bacteria, organisms that don't exactly require organic compounds to thrive, are fairly common culprits when it comes to microbial induced corrosion. Thiobacillus sp. for example can be found in microbial induced corrosion as seen in concrete and mortar.
Iron and Sulfur Oxidizing Bacteria
Aerobic bacteria plating done specifically for iron and sulfur oxidizing bacteria, such as aerobic Thiobacilus types (acidophilic). Commonly done for metal plumbing and facilities. As with other bacterial screens, genetic ID is optional.
For more information about MIC and Antimicrobial Testing, contact our antimicrobial lab at 847-483-9950 or info@situtest.com.