Corrosion of brass in natural and artificial seawater under anaerobic conditions

The corrosion of brass in deoxygenated non-buffered and buffered artificial and natural seawater was studied. The weight gains and the average corrosion rates of brass samples, immersed in both media during periods of 1 week, 1 and 3 months, were determined. The morphology of the corroded surfaces, with and without the corrosion products, was analyzed by visual observation and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). Energy dispersive spectroscopy (EDS) was used for the identification of the corrosion products and X-ray diffraction (XRD) for the identification of the crystalline corrosion products. In general it was concluded that deoxygenating and buffering, at pH 9, both contribute to enhance the corrosion of brass in seawater.