Microfouling on austenitic stainless steel weldments immersed in Bombay harbour waters

230-232The test coupons of austenitic stainless steel ( SS 304, SS 304 L, SS 316, SS 316 L) weldments were exposed in the harbour waters of Bombay over a period of 20 days and the composition of microfouling film was studied. During the exposure period, diatom and bacterial settlement including sulphate reducing bacteria (SRB) was relatively high on the weld zones. Not all the diatom species encountered in the surface waters of Bombay harbour have shown their preference in forming the biofilms. Amphora coffaeformis, Cyclotella meneghiana, Nitzschia panduriformis, Cymbella turgid, and Pinnularia fasciata were observed as dominating diatom species in the biofilms formed on weldments