Earlier this year, MICBUSTERS proudly served as a local organizing partner for the Euro-MIC Industry Course in Groningen. The four-day advanced program brought together asset owners, consultants, and researchers to deepen practical skills in diagnosing and managing Microbiologically Influenced Corrosion (MIC) — from theory to field sampling, data interpretation, and reporting.

What the course covered

The Euro-MIC Industry Course combined lecture blocks with hands-on sessions across four days:

• Day 1 (Tue 17 June): MIC fundamentals — microbiology basics, corrosion principles, MIC assessment, and industry standards.
• Day 2 (Wed 18 June): Cathodic protection (CP) concepts and interactions with microbiology; field and lab studies across CP levels; technical site visit.
• Day 3 (Thu 19 June): Practical rotations in on-site sampling for external pipeline MIC, failure analysis, ATP biomass, DNA isolation, qPCR, sequencing, and a hands-on bioinformatics exercise.
• Day 4 (Fri 20 June): Integration of microbiological data with other lines of evidence, case studies, reporting, quiz, and certification.

Location: sessions were hosted around the Zernike Campus in collaboration with Hanze University of Applied Sciences.

Partners and support

The course was hosted within the Euro-MIC COST Action CA20130 network and supported by regional partners including Gasunie, Nebest, Hanze University, and MICBUSTERS. Registration for the Groningen edition was handled via MICBUSTERS.

From classroom to field: how MICBUSTERS helps

A major theme of the course is translating MIC mechanisms into quantitative field diagnosis. This is where MICBUSTERS adds value: our on-site qPCR brings molecular diagnostics to the asset—detecting and quantifying MIC-relevant microbes within hours, and integrating those results with chemistry and metallurgy to inform mitigation decisions and verify outcomes within a single maintenance window.

Want to see on-site qPCR in action at your facility? Get in touch for a demo or to discuss a field campaign.

About Euro-MIC

Euro-MIC connects industry and academia to improve MIC diagnosis, monitoring, and mitigation across Europe through events, training, and standardization efforts under COST Action CA20130.

Disclaimer

This article is intended for informational and educational purposes and does not replace site-specific engineering or scientific assessment. MICBUSTERS has a commercial interest in improving microbiological monitoring and mitigation for industry, including on-site qPCR services. MICBUSTERS is gespecialiseerd in het meten van microbiologische processen die leiden tot aantasting van metalen.