Biofouling Impacts and Toxicity of Antifouling Agents on Marine Environment: A Qualitative Study.

Biofouling from microorganisms, plants, barnacles, mussels or algae is a major problem for marine structures. Fouling leads to increased fuel costs due frictional resistance on ships, and reduces reserve buoyancy of floating offshore structure, in addition causing cage deformation structural fatigue, impacting endurance materials. The intrusion invasive aquatic species (IAS) new environments by ships identified as threat the world’s oceans. Marine fouling affects most manmade surfaces immersed sea, resulting substantial losses. Anti-fouling paints tackle this certain extent. Extensive research progress antifouling technologies maritime sector, with products compliance International Maritime Organisation (IMO) regulations being developed. efficient solution minimise make unsuitable settlers, coating them Antifouling (AF) Paints containing toxic compounds. Most AF agents had Tributyltin (TBT), has been phased out IMO since 2008 harmful effect environment. However, use TBT not prohibited, though restricted several countries. environmental problems biofouling toxicity existing alternative Anti-Fouling techniques are reviewed paper. Further, various ship hull cleaning commercially available including afloat also introduced.
 Keywords— Biofouling, TBT, (AF), IAS, IMO, AFS, Alternatives