Journal
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF MOLECULAR SCIENCES
Volume 10, Issue 7, Pages 3209-3223Publisher
MDPI
DOI: 10.3390/ijms10073209
Keywords
marine biofouling; copper antifouling paint; chitosan; static field testing; microalgae
Funding
- Marinard Biotech Inc.
- Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada
- Canada Research Chair in Molecular Ecotoxicology
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Ecological concerns about antifouling paints containing non-green tin and copper compounds have highlighted the need for environmentally friendly alternatives. We report here a field test conducted in estuarine waters over two months designed to evaluate the efficiency of a number of active natural and man-made chemical ingredients added into a silicon-polyurethane marine paint. Early steps of biofouling in cold seawater of the St. Lawrence Estuary (Canada) were observed. Analyses, including dry biom ass, flow cytometry and spectrofluorim etry, demonstrated a short-term antibacterial action of chitosan-based paints although no significant anti-algal action was observed. Cuprous oxide paints were efficient against bacteria and algae invasion in the first two weeks, especially those with added organic biocides such as isothiazolone and copper pyrithione. However, the overall dry biomass and chlorophyll a content were similar for all chitosan-and copper-based paints after 63 days. Microscopic observations revealed variation in the highly diverse benthic diatom population including species Navicula, Melosira, Cocconeis, Nitshzcia, Fragilaria and Amphora. Results suggest no real long-term efficiency for tested antifouling paints and highlight a particular need for green antifouling ingredients that are active under northern estuarine conditions.
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