Ecology & Safety, Volume 11, 2017

Abstract: After World War II approximately 60 thousand tons of chemical munitions have been dumped in the Baltic Sea. Corrosion occurs due to chemical or electrochemical reactions between the environment and metal. Microbes change the electrochemical reaction at the biofilm/metal interface and either inhibit or accelerate the process of metal corrosion. Although the microbial inhibitory mechanism is environmentally friendly, the predictability of the results is not yet affirmed, as sometimes the same bacteria with an inhibitory property may also become aggressive. This review discusses mechanisms by which microbes may induce or inhibit corrosion in metals in specific condition of the Baltic Sea.