Corrosion-induced metal release from stainless steel and its alloy constitutents into different media

摘要

The awareness in the society of the potential adverse effect that the release of metals from diffuse sources may have on man and on environment has increased during the last decades. In 1996, the European Commission implemented a directive (96/61/EC) aiming at minimising pollution from various point sources in Europe. If a chemical substance is produced or imported into the Community in volumes above 10 tonnes per year, and also listed in the European Inventory of Existing Commercial Chemical Substances, it should be evaluated in terms of risks to human health and the environment. The list includes various inorganic and organic chemicals as well as metals, but does not take into account the fact that alloys and pure metals have different properties. Stainless steel is, due to its excellent corrosion resistance and strength, one of the most widely used materials today. The area of application ranges from external constructions to human implants. Even though the corrosion resistance of stainless steels is well known, information on corrosion rates and in particular, on metal release rates reveals significant knowledge gaps. Metal release data for alloys and the pure metals at identical exposure conditions are also scarce. Such information is crucial for sustainable decisions and legislative actions towards the use of metals.