Euro-MIC National Round Table: Digitalizing MIC-Potentials and Challenges

The event is part of the COST Action “European MIC Network – New paths for science, sustainability and standards” (Euro-MIC) CA20130, where both organizers are MC for Norway, and Dr. An Stepec is also the leader for WG2: Diagnostic technology development.
Microbiologically Influenced Corrosion (MIC) is a phenomenon that is increasingly becoming a problem for the society. MIC describes the negative effects a material can experience due to the presence of microorganisms. In recent years, the growth of microorganisms is set to have a combined effect with global warming and pollution, that potentially can reduce materials lifetime by 20%. A rise in seawater temperature could also select for more corrosive microbial communities able to withstand the warmer water regime. It can therefore be assumed that an increased number of cases of MIC associated incidents should be expected in the coming decades. Consequently, it is crucially important to be proactive so that future challenges can be dealt with in a preventative manner and not when the damage accumulates en masse. The continued expansion of the blue economy (sustainable use of ocean resources) and the emerging needs of a circular economy (decoupling industry growth from the consumption of finite resources) not only herald novel challenges for the development of new materials such as composites and different MIC treatments (e.g. eco-friendly antifouling coatings with increased long-lasting effect).
In Europe, several research groups/ other industrial stakeholders are already dealing with MIC. Unfortunately, the discussions are fragmented, and the exchange of information is limited. A true transdisciplinary approach is hardly ever experienced, although this would be logical for this material/biology related challenge. As a research field with large industrial relevance and impact, MIC is a highly interdisciplinary topic including but not limited to: materials science, process chemistry, microbiology, biochemistry, corrosion engineering and integrity management. The aim of the COST Action EuroMIC is to bridge communication between industry, academia, and regulators, with the vision of establishing a long-lasting mission to combat the challenge of MIC.