F r a u n h o f e r I n s t i t u t e f o r E n v i r o n m e n ta l , S a f e t y, a n d E n e r g y T e c h n o l o g y UMS I CHT
1 2
1 - 3 Weathered test cubes
Fraunhofer Institute for
Environmental, Safety, and
Energy Technology UMSICHT
Osterfelder Strasse 3
46047 Oberhausen, Germany
Contact
Materials and Interaction
Dr. Holger Wack
Deputy Business Unit Manager
Phone +49 208 8598-1121
holger.wack@umsicht.fraunhofer.de
www.umsicht.fraunhofer.de
2 3
BIOGENIC SULFURIC ACID
CORROSION (BSA)
MATERIALs TESTING
The number of damages caused by Keywords
biogenic sulfuric acid corrosion (BSA) is
increasing. The development of materials BSA
resistant to BSA requires testing methods Damage to material
that allow for a testing of the materials Material testing
that is both oriented towards practice and Microorganisms
accelerated. To achieve this, test rigs were Analytics
setup at Fraunhofer UMSICHT. In coopera-
tion with the University of Duisburg-Essen
(Dept. of Chemistry, Biofilm Centre, Prof. Industries
Dr. Wolfgang Sand), weathering tests were
conducted to assess the BSA resistance of Wastewater treatment
materials. The results provided indications Biogas plants
for a targeted optimization and further Canal construction
development of the materials. Drinking water supply
Sewage engineering
1 2

1 Test cubes in original condition Our services

2 Test system (overview)
Conducting weathering tests
Use of different materials and substrates
Use of different micro organisms
Accompanying microbial analytics
Material optimization

University of Duisburg-Essen
Development of biogenic sulfuric acid corrosion in the sewer system*
Campus Essen

Universittsstrasse 5
45141 Essen Absorption of H2S, oxidation to sulfur,
formation of H2SO4, acid attack
Germany Thiobacilli on the
concrete surface

Contact: S8+ 12 O2 + 8 H2 8 H2SO4 H2S emission into the gaseous space

Prof. Dr. Wolfgang Sand
H2S
dissolved sulfide / dissolved H2S gas
Faculty of Chemistry Biofilm Centre
Aquatic Biotechnology Biofilm overall sulfide in wastewater

Sulfide development by bacteria

Phone +49 201 183-7080 S2-+ 2H+ HS-+ H+ H2S

wolfgang.sand@uni-due.de
Sediments inorganic sulfur organic sulfur
compounds compounds
www.uni-due.de/biofilm-centre

*according to: Bock, E.; Sand, W.; Pohl, A.; Bedeutung der Mikroorganismen bei der Korrosion von
Abwasserkanlen (Importance of Micro-Organisms for the Corrosion of Drainage Channels),
TIS Tiefbau Ingenieurbau Straenwesen, Sonderdruck zum 4. Statusseminar Bauforschung und
-technik (TIS Magazine for Civil Engineering & Road Construction, special print for the 4th Status
Seminar Building Material Research and Technlogy), 1983, pg. 47-49