An electrochemical study on the effects of marine fouling organisms on steel used in the sea

Study on the effects of microorganism secretive membrane and covering layer of macrofouling organisms-Balanus reticulatus,Ostrea plicatula,Membranipora,Corophium and Algae on the corrosion of carbon steel and low-alloy steel by the determination of natural corrosive potentials,linear polarization and the polarization curver of dynamic potential scanning through an electrochemical equipment.
The results show that the microorganism secretion membrane formed on sample surface has some protective role,during the initial period of exposure (about ten days).Then protective role decreases and corrosive rate increases with the lapse of immersion time.The protective role of some macrofouling organisms is shown in order as follows:Corophium > Balanus reticulatus > Algae > Membranipora > Ostrea plicatula.