Cathodic protection (CP) is one of the corrosion control techniques mostly used with quite
satisfactory results; however, where the phenomenon is microbiologically influenced corrosion (MIC),
the efficiency of such control systems decreases significantly, due to a number of factors, among which
the following could be mentioned: MIC can increase the kinetics of the corrosion reactions, increasing
the CP current necessary to achieve a given level of polarization; the microorganism can attack pipeline
coating, increasing exposed metal surface area and further increasing the CP current required to achieve
the desired polarization,1 and the extracellular polymeric membrane (EPS) produced by microorganisms
can generate an effect of ohmic drop2. This paper presents a review of the experiences reported
worldwide related to the problems of corrosion in presence of sulfate reducing bacteria (SRB) with
cathodic polarization. It also gives a review of the best criteria of polarized potential to be maintained
when the problem is generated by MIC.
Keywords: Cathodic Protection, Microbiologically Influenced Corrosion, SRB, Potential Criterion