The quartz crystal microbalance: A new tool for the investigation of the bioadhesion of diatoms to surfaces of differing surface energies

Abstract

Diatoms are a major component of the biofoul layer found on modern low-surface-energy, 'foul release' coatings. While diatoms adhere more strongly to hydrophobic, as opposed to hydrophilic, surfaces, surprisingly little is known of the chemical composition of their adhesives. Even less is known about the underlying processes that characterize the interaction between the adhesive and a given surface, including those of differing wettability. Using the quartz crystal microbalance with dissipation monitoring (QCM-D), we examined differences in the viscoelastic properties of the extracellular adhesives produced by the marine diatoms Amphora coffeaeformis Cleve and Craspedostauros australis Cox i..