Abstract
Marine biofouling is undesirable growth on submerged substances, which causes a major problem for maritime industries. Antifouling paints containing toxic compounds such as copper are used to prevent marine biofouling. However, bacteria and diatoms are usually found in biofilms developed on such paints. In this study, plastic panels painted with a copper-based self-polishing antifouling paint were exposed to biofouling for 6 months in the Marina Bandar Rowdha, Sea of Oman. Clean panels were used as a control substratum. Marine filamentous fungi from protected and unprotected substrate were isolated on a potato dextrose agar. Pure isolates were identified using sequences of the ITS region of rDNA. Six fungal isolates (Alternaria sp., Aspergillus niger, A. terreus, A. tubingensis, Cladosporium halotolerans, and C. omanense) were obtained from the antifouling paint. Four isolates (Aspergillus pseudodeflectus, C. omanense, and Parengyodontium album) were isolated from clean panels and nylon ropes. This is the first evidence of the presence of marine fungi on antifouling paints. In comparison with isolates from the unprotected substrate, fungi from the antifouling paint were highly resistant to copper, which suggests that filamentous fungi can grow on marine antifouling paints.
Highlights
Accepted: 20 August 2021Marine biofouling is defined as the “undesirable accumulation and growth of organisms on submerged surfaces” [1]
The main aim of this study was to identify the fungal isolates from biofilms developed on the surface of a cooper-based antifouling paint and demonstrate their copper resistance
The ropes and unprotected panels were completely covered with macrofouling organisms, dominated by Tunicata and Bryozoa
Summary
Marine biofouling is defined as the “undesirable accumulation and growth of organisms on submerged surfaces” [1]. Biofouling organisms are divided by their size onto microfouling and macrofouling. Macrofouling, on the other hand, is composed of macroscopic organisms (>0.5 mm) visible by the naked eye, such as barnacles, mussels, bryozoans, macroalgae and others [4,5,6]. Marine biofouling causes significant problems for maritime industries [8,9]. It can increase the fuel consumption of ships, clog membranes and pipes, increase corrosion, decrease buoyancy, and destroy nets and cages [10,11]. Countries worldwide spend more than USD 7 billion per year in order to protect from biofouling and deal with is consequences [9]
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