Corrosion can lead to diminished metal surfaces & alloys that cause economic deterioration in
terms of repair, product losses, environmental pollution, replacement and security. A carbon steel is
utilized in several industries especially in infrastructures and construction, and oil pipelines as it is
affordable and reliable. Metals are also known in many industries because of its strong structures, which
allows mechanical engineers, industrial engineers, and other individuals to process and handle corrosive
gases and fluids (Attia et al., 2020). However, metal corrosion remains an issue in most industries. It was
shown that mild steel is widely employed in various sectors due to its low cost and widespread
availability. The main setback of this type of metal is its proclivity for corroding in different acidic
environments. Fracturing, drilling and acid stimulations using inorganic acids such as H2SO4 and HCI are
commonly employed at various phases in oil exploration, descaling activities, and production as well as
among industrial applications. Steel pipes are also utilized for oil and gas production, which are corroded
significantly by wet acidic gases such as CO2, HS2S, formic acids and weak acetic. Due to these various
problems that cause corrosion, especially because of the acidic environment, numerous precautionary
measures must be taken considered of, which is the use of corrosion inhibitors.
Numerous organic compounds can serve as an inhibitor particularly those elements that belong
to the Group 5 and 6 in the periodic table, specifically, nitrogen, phosphorous, oxygen, selenium, sulfur
and arsenic (Obilikpa & Stanley, 2014). With its special interaction of ions at the electrical double layer
may result into changes on its properties and structure. As mentioned by Ibrahim et al. (2011), organic
inhibitors serve as a protection for metal surfaces as the main adsorption of molecular into the metal
surface that develops a barrier film to reduce the occurrence of corrosion. Recent research shown that
natural sources of rusting or corrosion of metal could be mixed with synthetic formulas without
imposing hazard into the environment itself. As reported by Rehman et al. (2004), the petroleum ether
in the potato extract may give a strong antioxidant. One of the best-known contributors among
bioactive compounds is a vegetable, namely, potato or Solanum tuberosum. This vegetable constantly
revolves and grows in more than 100 countries, as it is considered as one of the largest crops grown
worldwide, namely, after rice, maize and wheat (Mohammed & Al-mammar, 2019). It is mostly used to
generate food products such as French fries, hash browns, and chips. It can also be used in flour
industries, canning and as a starch. Meanwhile, a potato peel extract consists of various phenolic acids,
namely gallic acid, caffeic acid, protocatechuic acid, chlorogenic acid, p-acid, p-coumaric acid, and
vanillic acid. These different phenolic compounds assimilated on Carbon Steels into the sole pairs of
several electrons especially on oxygen and nitrogen atoms coming from these compounds can form an
isolating layer. A phenolic acid is a compound with a formula C6H5OH which remains as a soluble in
water because of its pH level ranging between 5 & 6, which shows that this can be partially a good acid.
Meanwhile, an extraction of phenols especially in potato peels has been further studied by Obi et al.
(2012), to know the various effects of saline, acidic, and distilled water on rusted steel especially on its
mechanical properties.
Among all the studies mentioned above, the researchers have gathered this information to
conduct a study that aims to know the efficacy of potato as a rust remover and how it may contribute to
the country as well. Thus, this type of food product has been proven to be a good natural inhibitor in
various studies especially in corrosions among metal steel.
References:
Attia, E. M., Elazabawy, O. E., Hassan, N. S., & Hyba, A. M. (2020). Potato Peel Extract As An Eco-
Friendly Corrosion Inhibitor For Carbon Steel In Formation Water.
Mohammed, R. A., & AL-mammar, D. E. (2019). Using natural materials as corrosion inhibitors for carbon-steel
on phosphoric acid medium. Iraqi Journal of Science, 40-45. Retrieved from
https://ijs.uobaghdad.edu.iq/index.php/eijs/article/view/645
Obi,A.I.,Alabi,A.A., Suleiman,R.B.O and Ime, D.A. (2012): Effects of acidic, saline and distilled water on
corrosion and mechanical properties of mild steel; Department of mechanical Engineering, ahmadu
Bello University, Zaria, Nigeria.
Obilikpa, S. (2014, May). THE EFFECTS OF POTATO PEELS EXTRACT ON THE
INHIBITION OF CORROSION AND IMPACT STRENGTH OF MILD STEEL. Retrieved
February 17, 2022, from
https://www.researchgate.net/publication/317167166_THE_EFFECTS_OF_POTATO_PE
ELS_EXTRACT_ON_THE_INHIBITION_OF_CORROSION_AND_IMPACT_STREN
GTH_OF_MILD_STEEL
