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A recent study published in the journal Frontiers in Nanotechnology explored the use of photocatalytic nanomaterials to reduce marine biological fouling. The author describes the synthesis of nanomaterial coatings and their application in the marine environment to prevent micro- and macro-pollution caused by the development of harmful organisms such as bacteria and algae on water submerged surfaces.
Research: Nano coating is a new way to prevent biological fouling. Image Credit: Aytug askin/Shutterstock.com
Biofouling is a key issue in the marine sector. It will increase fuel consumption, accelerate corrosion, block membranes and pipelines, and reduce the buoyancy of marine structures such as ships, marine scaffolding, and mesh.
Although marine facilities have historically been affected by harmful antimicrobial coatings, increasing environmental issues and regulations have promoted the development of innovative antifouling treatments based on nanocomposites.
Hybrid nanomaterials containing organic and inorganic materials can combine the characteristics of these two groups, which helps to solve biological fouling
Surface design inspired by biology, advances in material science, and nanotechnology help create environmentally acceptable marine coatings. The use of photocatalytic nanostructures is one of the research areas currently being explored.
Schematic diagram of the main strategies and active ingredients of antifouling coatings. Image source: Santosh, K. etc.
Due to the photoelectrocatalytic process leading to the redox reaction, the nano-material metal oxide can absorb visible light and ultraviolet light, thereby inhibiting the growth of bacteria in the process. Here, reactive oxygen species (ROS), such as peroxides, superoxides, and reactive hydroxyl groups, are generated during the photocatalytic activity, thereby inhibiting the development of microorganisms on the substrate.
Since ROS is short-lived and has a local surface toxicity effect, metal oxide nanomaterials may be more conducive to antifouling applications than other forms of nanocoating. The coating containing nanowires and nanocrystals has anti-algae activity and is also very effective for antifouling.
Schematic diagram of the structure of graphene and carbon nanotubes. Image source: Santosh, K. etc.
Nanostructured metal oxides, such as zinc oxide (ZnO) and titanium dioxide (TiO2) are photosensitive metal oxide nanoparticles (NP) that can be used for antibacterial, self-cleaning, self-repair, anti-corrosion and anti-biological fouling applications.
ZnO is classified as a benign substance with multiple applications. Due to its biocompatibility, non-toxic and antibacterial properties, zinc oxide nanoparticles are used in food manufacturing, packaging and agricultural industries.
In this study, photocatalysis was used to remove several harmful organic chemicals and inorganic pollutants in industrial wastewater under the action of light.
Titanium dioxide is commonly used in self-cleaning coatings and adhesives, but its use is limited to outdoors because its activation relies on ultraviolet light.
The use of silver nanocrystals as an antimicrobial agent is a standard practice because they can be manufactured using an environmentally acceptable process and are not harmful to animals. Due to the high surface area of TiO2 nanoparticles on the inside and outside of the tubular structure, the use of titanium oxide nanostructures enhances the performance characteristics of silver nanocrystals.
Some microscopic and macroscopic fouling organisms are more susceptible to the influence of metal oxide nano-coatings than others; the ability to prevent fouling and reduce toxicity depends on their composition.
In addition, the physical and chemical properties of nanoparticles, such as their particle size, surface electrons and substituents, will affect their toxic effects.
Due to their small size, nanoparticles can easily pass through cell membranes and other boundaries that exist in organisms, which may have harmful consequences. The number of nanoparticles absorbed by the body decreases as the particle size increases. The basic mechanism of photocatalytic purification based on metal oxides includes the formation of powerful oxidizing substances, thereby eliminating adsorbed biological fouling through photocatalysis.
Due to the difference in the charge density of nanostructures, the surface redox sensitivity is different, leading to different degrees of ROS formation. Due to the large band gap of TiO2 and ZnO and the high electron-hole recombination rate of photo-generated charges, the use of TiO2 and ZnO is limited to ultraviolet light treatment. Therefore, researchers have focused their attention on using these materials to establish high photocatalytic performance, especially under visible light.
Schematic diagram of the possible antifouling mechanism of metal oxide nanomaterials (A) ROS generation; ROS's effect on (B) prokaryotic cells and (C) eukaryotic cells. Image source: Santosh, K. etc.
Since ROS generated by photocatalytic nanomaterials in the presence of light can kill or inactivate microscopic and macroscopic biological fouling organisms, antifouling technology using photocatalytic nanomaterials is now possible. Compared with harmful biocides, the ROS produced by the film is short-lived and only affects the species in close contact with the coating material. Compared with typical anti-biofouling coatings, photocatalytic nanocomposites are less harmful to marine organisms.
Due to its environmental protection capabilities, metal oxide nanoparticle coatings are regarded as one of the most promising anti-fouling solutions, which are very suitable for marine applications.
Continue reading: Marine nanocomposites and their applications.
Santosh, K. et al. (2021) Nano coating is a new method to prevent biological fouling. Frontiers in Nanotechnology, 3, 771098. See: https://www.frontiersin.org/article/10.3389/fnano.2021.771098
Disclaimer: The views expressed here are those expressed by the author in a personal capacity, and do not necessarily represent the views of the owner and operator of this website, AZoM.com Limited T/A AZoNetwork. This disclaimer forms part of the terms and conditions of use of this website.
Hussain graduated from the Islamabad Institute of Space Technology with a bachelor's degree in aerospace engineering. During his studies, he participated in a number of research projects related to aerospace materials and structures, computational fluid dynamics, nanotechnology and robotics. After graduation, he has been a freelance aerospace engineering consultant. He became interested in technical writing during the second year of his bachelor's degree and wrote several research articles in various publications. In his free time, he likes to write poems, watch movies and play football.
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