Researchers find biocides to prolong ethanol pipeline life

In Maryland, researchers at the National Institute of Standards and Technology have found that bacteria can dramatically degrade pipelines when  they feed on ethanol and produce acid. Acid boosted fatigue crack growth rates by at least 25 times the levels occuring in air alone.

The results are meant to help pipeline engineers determine which materials to use for constructing pipelines that will transport ethanol. The researchers also found that glutaraldehyde, a biocide used in oil and gas operations, may help control bacterial growth during ethanol transport.