Efecto inhibidor del dióxido de germanio sobre el biofouling del puerto de Mar del Plata

JUAN PABLO ROLDÁN; MÓNICA GARCÍA; GUILLERMO BLUSTEIN; MIRIAM PÉREZ

REVISTA MATéRIA

UNIV FED RIO DE JANEIRO

Lugar: Rio de Janeiro; Año: 2018 vol. 23

1517-7076

Marine biofouling on any newmaterial immersed in seawater can lead to extra costs due to increased maintenance,or/and even mechanical wear, and/or biodeterioration that require costlyantifouling measures. Fouling organisms growing on immersed manmade surfacesaffect hulls, piers, buoys, aquaculture and pipes mainly. Following adsorptionof a conditioning film of macromolecules, microorganisms which are the primarycolonizers (?microfouling?), are found on unprotected surfaces after only a fewminutes of immersion. Extracellular polymeric material exudates from bacteriaforms a net that permits anchorage and protection for spores of macroalgae andmacroinvertebrate larvae which arrive later. This community is called?biofouling? and develops a thick layer rapidly. As a consequence, the searchis orientated to new efficient compounds to formulate environmental friendlyantifouling paints. It is well known theinhibitory effect of germanium dioxide on microfouling organisms (diatoms,fungi and bacteria, mainly) and this property promotes its use as antifoulingcompound. In this sense, germanium dioxide was incorporated in a soluble matrixpaint and its antifouling performance evaluated after exposition in Mar delPlata harbor during summer season.The results showed thatgermanium dioxide antifouling coating inhibited not only diatom settlement butalso the attachment of most conspicuous species of macrofouling (solitary andcolonial ascidians, tubeworms and barnacles). These results may provide a moreenvironmentally friendly alternative for the control of biofouling.