Investigation of corrosion effect of mild steel on orange juice

Abstract

This paper aims to investigate the corrosion effect of mild steel in orange juice using a weight loss technique. Test specimens with known weights were immersed in the test media (orange juice with preservatives, natural orange juice and water) for a total exposure time of 10 days. Weight loss was measured at two day intervals for the determination of corrosion rate effect. Corrosion aggressive substance was discovered to have significant impact on the degradation of equipment and the maintenance or replacement of products lost or contaminated as a result of corrosion reactions. Results revealed that the corrosiveness of sweet orange juice on mild steel was mainly a function of its acidity. Packed orange juice with preservative was most corrosive followed by natural orange juice and water, respectively.

Key words: Corrosion, mild steel, weight loss, orange juice, acidity.