LECHLER-AF Project

Sector: Biofouling and antifouling

Person in charge: Marco Faimali

ISMAR Genoa Staff: Christian Corrà, Veronica Piazza

Main Partners: Lechler

Execution of effectiveness tests on antifouling paints, by means of static exposure (raft-test) at the ISMAR Marine Station (Genoa Port).

Specifically, during the testing first phase a defined number of formulations, selected and prepared by the customer, will be statically immersed for 6 months, during which a monthly photographic sampling will be performed, followed by an evaluation of the biological covering typology (soft and hard fouling), performed on the acquired images.
At the end of this period, all the samples will be collected and analyzed, to characterize biological covering differences among the formulations, also from the qualitative point of view, by means of biological classification, according to the organisms groups most representative of the biofouling.

The second phase of the research contract aims at the development of a laboratory pre-screening system for the antifouling paints. The paint prototypes effectiveness is often linked, indeed, with the seasonality of field tests, which, especially in the Mediterranea Sea, are representative only if performed during spring-summer. For this reason, it is strategically important to develop quick methods for laboratory pre-screening, able to test and select, during the winter months, the best formulations to submit to the field screening during the summer.

Project duration: 12 months (July 2009 - July 2010)