A research team at Flinders University, led by Dr. Tamar Jamieson from the ARC Training Centre for Biofilm Research and Innovation, has demonstrated a new approach to marine antifouling that avoids the environmental drawbacks of conventional coatings. The study, published in ACS ES&T Water, reports the development and field testing of an electrochemically active surface coating designed to limit the attachment of marine organisms on submerged structures without releasing toxic substances into surrounding waters.
Jamieson, T. L., Das, N. K., Andersson, M., Leterme, S., & colleagues. (2025). Prokaryote fouling communities on novel electrochemically active coatings after submersion in Port Adelaide River Harbor Basin. ACS ES&T Water. https://doi.org/10.1021/acsestwater.5c00794
Marine fouling remains a persistent problem for shipping, offshore infrastructure, and port facilities. When microorganisms, algae, and larger organisms such as barnacles attach to hulls and underwater surfaces, they increase drag, fuel consumption, maintenance costs, and the risk of transferring invasive species between regions. Traditional antifouling strategies largely rely on biocides that leach into the environment over time, raising concerns about heavy metal accumulation and long-term ecological damage in harbors and coastal zones.
Dr. Tamar Jamieson from Flinders University stated,
“The development of an environmentally friendly antifouling treatment could revolutionize the shipping industry and eliminate any biosecurity risks”.
The Flinders University coating takes a different route. Rather than poisoning organisms, it uses controlled electrochemical activity at the surface to make conditions less favorable for attachment and growth. According to the researchers, this approach targets the early stages of fouling, when microorganisms begin forming biofilms that later enable larger organisms to settle.
To evaluate performance outside the laboratory, coated test samples were submerged for 55 days in the Port Adelaide River Harbor Basin in South Australia. The team then assessed fouling using a combination of scanning electron microscopy, flow cytometry, and genetic analysis through 16S amplicon sequencing. These methods allowed them to examine both macrofouling organisms and the composition of microbial communities on the surfaces.
The results showed that surfaces treated with the electrochemically active coating remained free of macrofouling over the test period. While microorganisms were still able to colonize the surfaces to some extent, the overall number of attached cells was significantly lower compared with untreated controls. This reduction is important because microfouling is a known precursor to more severe biological buildup.
Professor Mats Andersson, senior author of the study and a member of the Flinders Institute for Nanoscale Science and Technology, notes that eliminating reliance on biocide release addresses a major weakness of current antifouling technologies. He explains that while the new coating does not completely stop microbial growth, its ability to suppress both microfouling density and macrofouling attachment represents a meaningful improvement over existing options.
The broader implications extend beyond hull cleanliness. Biofouling has been linked to increases of up to 40 percent in fuel consumption for large vessels, directly affecting emissions and operating costs. It also plays a role in the spread of non-native marine species, creating biosecurity risks that can require costly remediation efforts.
Professor Sophie Leterme, director of the ARC Training Centre for Biofilm Research and Innovation and a co-author on the study, emphasizes that advances in fouling control are closely tied to environmental performance in the maritime sector. Reducing fouling can lower emissions, limit ecological disruption, and reduce the need for large-scale intervention programs aimed at controlling invasive species.
While further development and long-term testing are still needed, the study positions electrochemically active coatings as a practical alternative to toxic antifouling systems. By combining materials engineering with electrochemical control, the Flinders team provides a pathway toward antifouling solutions that align operational efficiency with environmental responsibility, a balance increasingly demanded across marine and shipping industries.
Adrian graduated with a Masters Degree (1st Class Honours) in Chemical Engineering from Chester University along with Harris. His master’s research aimed to develop a standardadised clean water oxygenation transfer procedure to test bubble diffusers that are currently used in the wastewater industry commercial market. He has also undergone placments in both US and China primarely focused within the R&D department and is an associate member of the Institute of Chemical Engineers (IChemE).
