Accession Number:

ADA622621

Title:

Issues for Storing Plant-Based Alternative Fuels in Marine Environments

Descriptive Note:

Journal article

Corporate Author:

NAVAL RESEARCH LAB STENNIS DETACHMENT STENNIS SPACE CENTER MS OCEANOGRAPHY DIV

Personal Author(s):

• Lee, Jason S.
• Ray, Richard I.
• Little, Brenda J.
• Duncan, Kathleen E.
• Aktas, Deniz F.
• Oldham, Athenia L.
• Davidova, Irene A.
• Suflita, Joseph M.

Report Date:

2014-05-09

Pagination or Media Count:

10.0

Abstract:

Two coastal seawaters Key West, FL, USA and the Persian Gulf, Bahrain, representing oligotrophic and eutrophic environments, respectively were used to evaluate potential biodegradation and corrosion problems during exposure to alternative and conventional fuels. Uncoated carbon steel was exposed at the fuelseawater interface and polarization resistance was monitored. Under typical marine storage conditions, dioxygen in natural seawater exposed to fuel and carbon steel was reduced to 0.1 parts-per-million within 2 d due to consumption by corrosion reactions and aerobic microbial respiration. Sulfides, produced by anaerobic sulfate-reducing bacteria, and chlorides were co-located in corrosion products. Transient dioxygen influenced both metabolic degradation pathways and resulting metabolites. Catechols, indicative of aerobic biodegradation, persisted after 90 d exposures. Detection of catechols suggested that initial exposure to dioxygen resulted in the formation of aerobic metabolites that exacerbated subsequent corrosion processes.

Descriptors:

• *BIODEGRADATION
• *CARBON STEELS
• *CORROSION
• *FUELS
• *SEA WATER
• AEROBIC PROCESSES
• EXPOSURE(GENERAL)
• METABOLITES
• OCEAN ENVIRONMENTS
• POLARIZATION
• RESISTANCE
• STORAGE
• SULFIDES

Subject Categories:

• Biochemistry
• Physical Chemistry
• Properties of Metals and Alloys
• Fuels

Distribution Statement:

APPROVED FOR PUBLIC RELEASE