Corrosion in marine atmospheres. Effect of distance from the coast

Abstract

In marine atmospheres the deposition of saline particles on the surface of metals intensifies the metallic corrosion process. However, quantitative information about the effect of atmospheric salinity on metallic corrosion is very scarce. This paper reports the relationship between salinity and metallic corrosion, where a clear linear relation (r = 0.97) has been found for a broad interval of salinities (4-500 mg Cl^-/m²d), as well as the relationship between salinity (or metallic corrosion) and distance from the coast. A hyperbolic function seems to be established between both variables; there is an exponential drop in salinity (or corrosion) as shoreline distance increases tending towards an asymptotic value. The study has been based on information obtained from field research conducted at a marine atmosphere in Tarragona (Spain) and data compiled from the literature.