Effect of Green Corrosion Inhibition by Prunus persica on AISI 1018 Carbon Steel in 0.5M H2SO4

The extract of Prunus persica (P. persica) leaves was studied as a green corrosion inhibitor (GCI) of AISI 1018 steel in 0.5 M H2SO4 at 25 °C. The corrosion inhibition efficiency (CIE) was established by the weight loss, potentiodynamic polarization curves (PPC) and electrochemistry impedance spectroscopy (EIS) techniques. The results showed that the IE was directly proportional to the inhibitor concentration, obtaining a maximum IE at 600 ppm (97 %) with a residence time of 6 h. The analysis of the electrochemical parameters from the polarizations curves confirmed that the P. persica extract behaved as a mixed-type GCI with cathodic predominance. The micrographs confirmed negligible damage on the steel surface when protected with the P. persica as GCI against the corrosive medium. The GC-MS analysis detected a high concentration of α-Tocopherol (vitamin E) and β-Sitosterol among the phytochemicals present in the P. persica extract. Lactuca sativa (L. sativa) and Artemia salina Leanch (A. salina) were used as bioindicators of possible toxic effects exerted by the GCI, finding that the germination of seeds and radicle development of L. sativa were little affected (30 % of inhibition for hypocotile develop) by the P. persica extract at 600 ppm. However, the GCI turned to be harmless for the second bioindicator (A. salina).