The electrochemical behavior of and biofilm formation on AISI 304 stainless steel were studied in board machine environment with natural bacteria population. Open circuit potentials, redox-potential as well as different electrochemical measurements were performed. The biofilms forrqed were analyzed by microbial cultivation and by epifluorescence microscopy. The results of the measurements were compared with those performed both in sterilized white water and in artificial white water. The anodic polarization behavior of just immersed specimens was very similar in biotic (real), artificial and abiotic (sterilized) white water. Pitting initiated at very low potentials and continued to very negative values. The initiation of pitting became more difficult when the immersion time increased to 7 or 8 days in real, artificial or sterilized water. When the immersion time further increased, the pitting nucleated more easily in sterilized white water as well as in artificial white water than in biotic white water. In the laboratory equipment it was possible to maintain the biofilm already formed in the board mill, but the amount of sulfate reducing bacteria decreased and the amount of biofilm did not further increase. The composition and structure of the biofilm formed in laboratory differed from that formed in board mill conditions. The preliminary results indicate that the formation of biofilm in biotic white water rather inhibits than enhances the pitting corrosion of type AISI 304 stainless steel.
Keywords: stainless steel, biofilm, pulp and paper industry, microbially induced corrosion