Methods used to deter biofouling of underwater structures and marine vessels present a serious environmental issue and are both problematic and costly for government and commercial marine vessels worldwide. Current antifouling methods include compounds that are toxic to aquatic wildlife and marine ecosystems. Dihydrooroidin (DHO) was shown to completely inhibit Halomonas pacifica biofilms at 100 μM in a static biofilm inhibition assay giving precedence for the inhibition of other marine-biofilm-forming organisms. Herein we present DHO as an effective paint-based, non-cytotoxic, antifouling agent against marine biofouling processes in a marine mesocosm.
Keywords: Antifouling; Biofilms; Natural products.