title: Charged hydrophilic polymer brushes and their relevance for understanding marine biofouling.
abstract: The resistance of charged polymers to biofouling was investigated by subjecting cationic (PDMAEMA), anionic (PSPMA), neutral (PHEMA-co-PEG10MA), and zwitterionic (PSBMA) brushes to assays testing protein adsorption; attachment of the marine bacterium Cobetia marina; settlement and adhesion strength of zoospores of the green alga Ulva linza; settlement of barnacle (Balanus amphitrite and B. improvisus) cypris larvae; and field immersion tests. Several results go beyond the expected dependence on direct electrostatic attraction; PSPMA showed good resistance towards attachment of C. marina, low settlement and adhesion of U. linza zoospores, and significantly lower biofouling than on PHEMA-co-PEG10MA or PSBMA after a field test for one week. PDMAEMA showed potential as a contact-active anti-algal coating due to its capacity to damage attached spores. However, after field testing for eight weeks, there were no significant differences in biofouling coverage among the surfaces. While charged polymers are unsuitable as antifouling coatings in the natural environment, they provide valuable insights into fouling processes, and are relevant for studies due to charging of nominally neutral surfaces.
authors.affiliation: a Division of Molecular Physics , IFM, Linköping University , Linköping , Sweden.
authors.forename: Wetra
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Yandi
authors.affiliation: b School of Biosciences , University of Birmingham , Birmingham , UK.
authors.forename: Sophie
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Mieszkin
authors.affiliation: d School of Marine Science and Technology , Newcastle University , Newcastle-upon-Tyne , UK.
authors.forename: Alessio
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: di Fino
authors.affiliation: c International Paint Ltd 1 , Gateshead , UK.|e Department of Applied Sciences , Northumbria University , Newcastle-upon-Tyne , UK.
authors.forename: Pierre
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Martin-Tanchereau
authors.affiliation: b School of Biosciences , University of Birmingham , Birmingham , UK.
authors.forename: Maureen E
authors.initials: ME
authors.lastname: Callow
authors.affiliation: b School of Biosciences , University of Birmingham , Birmingham , UK.
authors.forename: James A
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Callow
authors.affiliation: c International Paint Ltd 1 , Gateshead , UK.
authors.forename: Lyndsey
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Tyson
authors.affiliation: d School of Marine Science and Technology , Newcastle University , Newcastle-upon-Tyne , UK.
authors.forename: Anthony S
authors.initials: AS
authors.lastname: Clare
authors.affiliation: a Division of Molecular Physics , IFM, Linköping University , Linköping , Sweden.
authors.forename: Thomas
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Ederth
mesh_terms: D000327:Adsorption; D000818:Animals; D001422:Bacterial Adhesion; D057219:Biofouling / Q000517:prevention & control*; D002412:Cations; D020563:Gammaproteobacteria / Q000502:physiology*; D057927:Hydrophobic and Hydrophilic Interactions; D008689:Methacrylates / Q000737:chemistry*; D009757:Nylons / Q000737:chemistry*; D011102:Polyhydroxyethyl Methacrylate / Q000737:chemistry*; D013171:Spores, Bacterial / Q000502:physiology; D013499:Surface Properties; D001468:Thoracica / Q000502:physiology*; D044445:Ulva / Q000502:physiology*
chemical_list: D002412:Cations; D008689:Methacrylates; D009757:Nylons; C407037:poly(2-(dimethylamino)ethyl methacrylate); D011102:Polyhydroxyethyl Methacrylate
keywords: Balanus spp.; Cobetia marina; Polymer brushes; Ulva linza; antifouling surfaces; surface charge