Long-time corrosion of metals (steel and aluminium) and profiles of fungi on their surface in outdoor environments in Lithuania

Abstract

Outdoor corrosion investigations of low carbon steel and aluminium surfaces were performed from 2002 to 2012 in rural, marine and industrial sites on the territory of Lithuania. The morphological and structural changes of surfaces were evaluated using optical, scanning probe, scanning electron microscopy and wavelength dispersive X-ray fluorescence spectroscopy. The atmospheric corrosion level was determined using the mass loss method. This investigation has shown that the corrosion of steel and aluminium and diversity of fungi and their survival found on these materials differed depending on the exposure conditions. The highest mass losses were determined in the marine test site. The processes of the biodeterioration taking place on corroded metal surfaces are discussed. The most common culturable fungi at the end of exposure, both on steel and aluminium surfaces and in all regions, were Chrysosporium merdarium, Paecilomyces parvus, Talaromyces flavus, Aureobasidium pullulans, and partially Cladosporium cladosporioides and C. herbarum.