Characterisation of the adhesion of fouling diatoms onto test surfaces

Abstract

The dominant presence of marine diatoms fouling the latest non-toxic, antifoul coatings has increased interest in characterising diatom adhesives and the mechanisms of their adhesion. In this study the adhesion of two benthic, fouling diatoms [Craspedostauros australis Cox and Haslea sp. Simonsen (Bacillariophyceae, Ochrophyta)] was measured on 23 test surfaces with different chemical properties. The adhesion of the diatoms was measured using a simple and effective bench-top flow chamber. Self-assembled monolayers were used to create a range of surfaces with specific chemical properties, allowing the direct assessment of adhesion strength to substrata with different chemical properties. PDMS..