The antifouling performance of gelcoats containing biocides and silver ions in seawater environment

In this study, the recruitment and succession of biofilms were examined on static panels representing a boat hull exposed to seawater. Panels were coated with five types of gelcoats to compare the effect of antifouling agents on the forming of biofilms. Pesticide and elemental silver-based additives in two weight ratios (0.003 and 0.006) were used as the antifouling agents for the gelcoat. The temporal variation in recruitment of biofilms was examined by isolation of attached bacteria during a boat storing period in a marina located along the Izmir Bay (Turkey). It was found that the gelcoat with silver ion had slight superiority over the counterparts in this study. The first 15 days of bacteria formation was the significant period for examining the antifouling performance of a coating material.