Experimental Assessment of the Performance of Two Marine Coatings to Curb Biofilm Formation of Microfoulers

• Tipo: Artigo em Revista Científica Internacional
• Data: 2020-09-15

Autores

Sara Faria (Autor) FEUP; Rita Teixeira-Santos (Autor) FEUP; Luciana Gomes (Autor) FEUP; Elisabete R. Silva (Autor) Outra; João Morais (Autor) Outra; Vítor Vasconcelos (Autor) Outra; Filipe Mergulhão (Autor) FEUP

Revista

Título: Coatings

Vol. 10

Página Final: 893

ISSN: 2079-6412

Editora: MDPI

Indexação

ISI Web of Knowledge - 17 Citações

Scopus - 20 Citações

Outras Informações

ID Authenticus: P-00S-RA2

DOI: 10.3390/coatings10090893

Abstract (EN): Biofilms formed on submerged marine surfaces play a critical role in the fouling process, causing increased fuel consumption, corrosion, and high maintenance costs. Thus, marine biofouling is a major issue and motivates the development of antifouling coatings. In this study, the performance of two commercial marine coatings, a foul-release silicone-based paint (SilRef) and an epoxy resin (EpoRef), was evaluated regarding their abilities to prevent biofilm formation byCyanobiumsp. andPseudoalteromonas tunicata(common microfoulers). Biofilms were developed under defined hydrodynamic conditions to simulate marine settings, and the number of biofilm cells, wet weight, and thickness were monitored for 7 weeks. The biofilm structure was analyzed by confocal laser scanning microscopy (CLSM) at the end-point. Results demonstrated that EpoRef surfaces were effective in inhibiting biofilm formation at initial stages (until day 28), while SilRef surfaces showed high efficacy in decreasing biofilm formation during maturation (from day 35 onwards). Wet weight and thickness analysis, as well as CLSM data, indicate that SilRef surfaces were less prone to biofilm formation than EpoRef surfaces. Furthermore, the efficacy of SilRef surfaces may be dependent on the fouling microorganism, while the performance of EpoRef was strongly influenced by a combined effect of surface and microorganism.

Idioma: Inglês

Tipo (Avaliação Docente): Científica

Nº de páginas: 13