Scientists have created an antifouling paint that does not pollute the environment. article about it published In the Marine Pollution Bulletin.
Emissions from marine antifouling copper-based paints are a well-known environmental concern. Up to 40% of copper enters the Baltic Sea from the linings of commercial and cruise ships. This metal is gradually removed from the water and is not washed into the oceans, as the Baltic Sea is inland.
Swedish scientists at Chalmers University of Technology managed to solve this problem by creating a new type of paint. Conventional coatings resist contamination by continually filtering out copper and/or other toxic substances that are toxic to marine life. The new paint is silicone based. It has a smooth surface and makes it difficult for plants and animals to adhere to the body. Such surfaces are self-cleaning, meaning that as the hull moves through the water, any contaminants that have had time to adhere are removed.
The authors conducted a comparative study to prove the effectiveness of their invention. It turns out that silicone paints have significantly better antifouling properties than copper.