Tafel scan schemes for microbiologically influenced corrosion of carbon steel and stainless steel

•Working electrode (WE) can be altered by potentiodynamic polarization in MIC.•Half-scans (from OCP) using one WE are far more accurate than continuous scan.•Continuous scan in either direction tends to incur large deviations in ecorr and icorr.•Continuous scan compresses 1st half-scan curve voltage range and elongate the 2nd.•Repeated half-scans using the same WE are likely permissible in most MIC cases.