MONITORING BIOFOULING ON CARBON STEEL WITH COPPER LAYER IMMERSED IN SEAWATER

GUIAMET PATRICIA SANDRA; GÓMEZ DE SARAVIA SANDRA GABRIELA

LATINCORR2006

www.abraco.org.br

Lugar: Río de Janeiro; Año: 2006; p. 1 - 7

Biofouling and biocorrosion of metal surfaces are due to biological and elechtochemical processes in wich microorganisms participe actively by adhering to surfaces through biofilms. The goal of thos paper was to evaluate of antifouling performance of copper layer applied on carbon steel structures. Bioassays were carried out in Mar del Plata harbour, Buenos aIres,Argentina (38 02S 57 32W). Carbon steel panel´s series with copper layer and withouth it (control) were vertically hung from a floting dock, below the water surface to provide the record of fouling organisms. Panel´s series were removed on monthly basis, one every month, following the development of the established community from the beginning of the exposition (acummulative pannels). The abundance of sessile species was estimated by recording their accurrence on a grid marked in quadrates over the entire panel. After one year of immersion, panel covered by copper layer did nor present macrofouling, but a significative bacterial adherence was present. One the other hand, on control a lot of micro and macrofouling species were observed.