An Antimicrobial Marine Cage Surface Modified with Antibacterial Peptides

Abstract

Long-term immersion in seawater easily causes surface fouling and affects the marine aquaculture industry. The commonly used method is to apply copper-based coatings on surfaces, however, the release of copper ions will harm marine organisms. Antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) are a substance extracted from organisms that possess environmental friendliness. This study extracted AMPs from traditional Chinese medicine, analyzed their amino acid sequences, and bound them to the surfaces of cage materials based on the strong adhesion of dopamine in weakly alkaline environments. The Fourier transform infrared spectrometer (FTIR) spectrum results showed that the antibacterial peptide was successfully bound to the substrate surface, and the contact angle results demonstrated a significant change in the wettability of the substrate surface. Antibacterial tests were conducted on the surface of the sample using Staphylococcus aureus (S. aureus). The results illustrated that 304 stainless steel (SS) and nylon (PA) surfaces modified by the antibacterial peptide exhibited significant biofilm resistance, with antibacterial adhesion properties reaching 88.68% and 82.61%, respectively, exhibiting the robustness of the antimicrobial efficiency. This study can provide theoretical support for the antifouling performance of the surfaces of marine aquaculture cages.