Innovating in-field DNA acquisition for enhanced microbiologically influenced corrosion diagnostics

Corrosion of metal-based infrastructure (for example, pipes) is an enormously costly problem faced by many industries including power generation, oil production, transportation, beverage production and water storage and distribution. It is now known that microorganisms can in many cases cause and/or worsen metal corrosion – a phenomenon known as microbiologically influenced corrosion (MIC). OSP Microcheck Inc provides products to diagnose for MIC. Once diagnosed correctly, MIC type corrosion can be treated or further prevented more effectively than if left undiagnosed. Currently used MIC diagnostic methods recognise the presence of microbes, but are incapable of identifying exactly which microbes are present. This academic-industry collaboration will explore the biochemistry behind MIC diagnostic techniques, with the intention of innovating one of OSP Microchecks current MIC diagnostic methods such that it is capable of both finding and identifying the microbes causing MIC type corrosion in a cost-effective manner.

Faculty Supervisor:

Raymond Turner

Student:

Marc Demeter

Partner:

OSP Microcheck

Discipline:

Biology

Sector:

University:

University of Calgary

Program: