Sulfate-reducing bacteria (SRB)

Definition

Anaerobic bacteria that use sulfate as an electron acceptor in the absence of oxygen and produce hydrogen sulfide as a metabolic byproduct.

SRB thrive in the oxygen-depleted base of a biofilm and produce hydrogen sulfide, which destabilizes passive iron films and reacts directly with the metal surface. Their signature is black deposits and a sulfide odor beneath tubercles, often with under-deposit pitting. They are active electrochemical participants in MIC, not passive bystanders.

Related concepts

Tubercle · Microbiologically influenced corrosion (MIC) · Under-Deposit Corrosion

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