Microbially influenced corrosion of zinc and aluminium – Two-year subjection to influence of Aspergillus niger

Aspergillus niger. Tiegh., a filamentous ascomycete fungus, was isolated from the metal samples exposed to marine, rural and urban sites in Lithuania. Al and Zn samples were subjected to two-year influence of A. niger under laboratory conditions in humid atmosphere. Electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) ascertained microbially influenced corrosion acceleration (MICA) of Zn and inhibition (MICI) of Al. EIS data indicated a two-layer structure of corrosion products on Zn. The microorganisms reduced the thickness of the inner layer, whose passivating capacity was much higher when compared to that of the outer layer. An increase in aluminium oxide layer resistance but decrease in the layer thickness implied that MICI affected primarily the sites of localized corrosion of Al (pores, micro-cracks, etc.). X-ray diffraction (XRD) and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) studies indicated that bioproducts (i.e. organic acids) did not form crystalline phases with corrosion products of zinc. The study suggested a hypothesis that microorganisms could be used as corrosion protectors instead of toxic chemicals, application of which tends to be increasingly restricted.