?Effect of terrestrial plant extracts on the fouling community at Mar del Plata harbour ?.

JORGE PALERMO; MARIANELA SÁNCHEZ; MIRIAM PÉREZ; MÓNICA GARCÍA; GUILLERMO BLUSTEIN

Río de Janeiro

Simposio; ? LABS 9 - Latin American Biodeterioration and Biodegradation Symposium; 2016

Effect of terrestrial plant extracts on the fouling community at Mar del Plata harbour Jorge Palermo1, Marianela Sánchez1, Miriam Pérez2,3, Mónica García2, Guillermo Blustein2,4(1)UMYMFOR, Departamento de Química Orgánica, Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales, Universidad de Buenos Aires, Argentina (2)CIDEPINT, CICPBA-CONICET (52 e/ 121 y 122), Argentina(3)Facultad de Ciencias Naturales y Museo, Universidad Nacional de La Plata, 122 y 60, Argentina(4)Facultad de Ciencias Agrarias y Forestales, Universidad Nacional de La Plata, 60 y 119, ArgentinaImmersion of a solid substrate in seawater produces a rapid adsorption of dissolved organic matter on its surface. The resulting organic "conditioning" film is glycoprotein or "humic" in nature and makes the surface wettable. Bacteria, diatoms and spores attach onto the substrate and this growing lawn, composed of dead and living cells and their secreted slime together with the macromolecular film, constituted the so-called primary film. Larvae of macrofoulers (sessile marine organisms such as polychaetes, mussels, barnacles, tunicates) then attach to the microfouling film.Antifouling paints have been for long time the most effective method to protect ship hulls. They prevent biofouling by releasing biocides (such as organotins or copper compounds) at a constant rate. However, their use has been restricted in many countries due to human health issues related to its application and the growing pollution of the environment.Several bioactivities of secondary metabolites from terrestrial plants are well known, and these can turn them into promising candidates as antifouling compounds. In this work, the antifouling activity of ethanolic extracts from Verbena officinalis and Tillandsia tenuifolia included in soluble matrix paints was studied. For the preparation of the antifouling paint, colophony and oleic acid were dissolved in a xylene/white spirit mixture. Then, ethanolic extracts (1.5% v/v) and pigments were added and dispersed. Three coats of paint were applied on sandblasted acrylic tiles. Panels (treatments and controls) were hung in a marina in Mar del Plata harbour (Argentina). After 45 days exposure in the sea, coatings containing V. officinalis or T.tenuifolia extracts significantly inhibited total cover percentage of the main fouling organisms related to controls (p