The document discusses the high costs of corrosion. It states that corrosion costs Italy approximately 1012 Euros per year or 3% of Italy's gross national product. This equates to approximately 500 Euros per person per year. It also provides an introduction to corrosion, describing how metals dissolve in the presence of water and oxygen according to electrochemical reactions. Localized corrosion due to biofilms is illustrated through images showing corrosion rates increasing after a biofilm is scratched but then decreasing over time.