What Is Microbiologically Influenced Corrosion (MIC)?
Microbiologically influenced corrosion (MIC) — also called microbially induced corrosion or biocorrosion — is metal degradation driven by bacteria living on a surface. It is one of the most destructive and least-understood forms of corrosion, responsible for roughly 20% of all corrosion failures and tens of billions of dollars in asset damage every year. The primary culprits are sulfate-reducing bacteria (SRB), acid-producing bacteria, and metal-reducing organisms that form biofilms on steel and iron, creating aggressive localized pitting beneath the deposit.
An EPA-Registered Antimicrobial Coating That Cures Underwater
Royal Coatings’ Anti-MIC system is a first-of-its-kind, EPA-registered (10/3/2024) alternative to traditional chemical dosing or mechanical treatment. This patent-pending (U.S. Application No. 18/626,558) coating applies and fully cures under immersed, underwater conditions — no dewatering, no shutdown, no dry-docking. Its antimicrobial-modified matrix neutralizes the bacterial classes that drive MIC while delivering high-build, long-term corrosion protection in the most aggressive submerged environments.
Applications: Infrastructure, Water Systems & Oil & Gas
Locks, Dams & Miter Gates
Our system is proven on navigation infrastructure, including the mitigation of bacterial corrosion on miter gates — critical assets where underwater cure eliminates the cost of dewatering a lock chamber.
Water & Wastewater Systems
From ductile-iron water mains to wastewater treatment infrastructure, the Anti-MIC coating protects assets that are continuously exposed to bacterial attack.
Storage Tanks & Pipelines
Engineered for oil and hydrocarbon storage tanks, offshore pipelines, maritime ballast tanks, and cooling towers where SRB-driven corrosion threatens integrity.
Zebra Mussel & Invasive Species Control
Beyond corrosion defense, the coating’s antimicrobial functionality is designed to stop the accumulation of invasive species such as zebra mussels in water intakes.