Anaerobic oxidation of iron and steel commonly finds place in oxygen-depleted environments, such as in permanently water-saturated soils, peat bogs or wetlands in which archaeological iron artefacts are often found.
Anaerobic oxidation of carbon steel of canisters and overpacks is also expected to occur in deep geological formations in which high-level radioactive waste and spent fuels should be ultimately disposed. Nowadays, in the frame of the corrosion studies related to HLW disposal, anaerobic corrosion of steel is receiving a renewed and continued attention. Indeed, it is essential to understand this process to guarantee the total containment of HLW waste in an engineered barrier during the first centuries or millennia when the radiotoxicity of the waste is high and when it emits a significant quantity of heat.
The question is also relevant for the corrosion of the reinforcement bars (rebars) in concrete (Aligizaki et al., 2000). This deals then with the service life of concrete structures, amongst others the near-surface vaults intended for hosting low-level radioactive waste.