Biocorrosion detection by sulphur isotopic fractionation measurements

• DOI: 10.1016/j.corsci.2019.108386
• Publication Date: 2019-12-14T07:01:09Z
• Authors: S. Grousset; L. Urios; S. Mostefaoui; A. Dauzeres; D. Crusset; V. Deydier; Y. Linard; P. Dillmann; F. Mercier-Bion; D. Neff
• Keywords: iron sulphide; microbiological corrosion; NanoSIMS; [CHIM.MATE]Chemical Sciences/Material chemistry; sulphur isotopic fractionation; 01 natural sciences; 0105 earth and related environmental sciences

Abstract This innovative study presents a local diagnosis approach based on nanoSIMS technique to determine the biotic/abiotic origin of iron sulphides of (sub)micron size heterogeneously located in the corrosion product layers of iron. For iron coupons corroded in controlled conditions, negative δ34Ssulphides-sulphates were obtained in biotic conditions contrary to δ34Ssulphides-sulphates obtained in abiotic ones. These results underline that nanoSIMS is a reliable local technique to detect the formation origin of (sub)micron iron sulphides. This successful methodology was then applied to a complex system representative of an iron corroded in the conditions similar to those of radioactive wastes storage in geological medium.