Christina Carl

Using textured PDMS to prevent settlement and enhance release of marine fouling organisms

The antifouling efficacy of a series of 18 textured (0.2–1000 μm) and non-textured (0 μm) polydimethylsiloxane surfaces with the profiles of round- and square-wave linear grating was tested by recording the settlement of fouling organisms in the laboratory and in the field by monitoring the recruitment of a multi-species fouling community. In laboratory assays, the diatoms Nitzschia closterium and Amphora sp. were deterred by all surface topographies regardless of texture type. Settlement of propagules of Ulva sp. was lower on texture sizes less than the propagule size, and settlement of larvae of Saccostrea glomerata and Bugula neritina was lower on texture sizes closest to, but less than, the sizes of larvae. After a six month field trial, all textured surfaces lost their deterrent effect; however, the foul-release capabilities of textures were still present. High initial attachment was correlated with most fouling remaining after removal trials, indicating that fouling organisms recruited in higher numbers to surfaces upon which they attached most strongly.

Enhancing the settlement and attachment strength of pediveligers of Mytilus galloprovincialis bychanging surface wettability and microtopography

Surface wettability and microtopography can either enhance or deter larval settlement of many sessile marine organisms. This study quantifies the effect of these surface properties on the settlement of pediveligers of Mytilus galloprovincialis, using polymers spanning a range of wettability and microtextured polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS). Furthermore, the adhesion strength of settled pediveligers on microtextured PDMS surfaces was quantified using a flow chamber. Settlement was enhanced at the hydrophilic end of the wettability spectrum, where mean settlement on nylon reached 33.5 ± 13.1%. In contrast, mean settlement on the most hydrophobic polymer (PDMS) was 4.2 ± 3.2%. Microtopography had a much stronger effect compared to wettability, where 400 μm textured PDMS enhanced settlement above 90%. Settlement preferences were also positively correlated to adhesion strength at flow rates of 4 knots, with all initially settled pediveligers on smooth PDMS detaching, while 79.9 ± 5.7% of pediveligers remained on the 400 μm texture.

Enhancing the efficacy of fouling-release coatings against fouling by Mytilus galloprovincialis using nanofillers.

Fouling-release (FR) coatings minimise the adhesion strength of fouling organisms. This study describes improved technologies to control the settlement and adhesion of the important fouling organism Mytilus galloprovincialis by incorporating the nanofillers titanium dioxide (TiO2) and carbon nanotubes (CNTs) in polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) matrices. The incorporation of TiO2 prevented larval settlement when photoactivated with UV light, even at the lowest concentration of the nanofiller (3.75 wt%). Notably, there was 100% mortality of pediveligers exposed to photoactivated TiO2. However, plantigrades initially settled to photoactivated TiO2, but their adhesion strength was significantly reduced on these surfaces in comparison to blank PDMS. In addition, plantigrades had high mortality after 6 h. In contrast to the enhanced antifouling and FR properties of PDMS incorporating TiO2, the incorporation of CNTs had no effect on the settlement and adhesion of M. galloprovincialis.

Cold spray metal embedment: an innovative antifouling technology

The study demonstrates that embedment of copper particles into thermoplastic polymers (polymers) using cold spray technology is an effective deterrent against fouling organisms. Two polymers, high-density polyethylene (HDPE) and nylon were metallised with copper powder using cold spray technology. After 250 days in the field, Cu-embedded HDPE and copper plate controls were completely free of hard foulers compared to Cu-embedded nylon and polymer controls which were heavily fouled with both soft and hard fouling. Antifouling (AF) success is related to the interaction between the properties of the polymers (elastic modulus and hardness) and the cold spray process which affect particle embedment depth, and subsequently, the release of copper ions as determined by analytical techniques. Embedding metal using cold spray equipment is shown to be an effective AF technology for polymers, in particular those that are difficult to treat with standard AF coatings, with efficacy being a function of the interaction between the cold spray metal and the polymer recipient.

Optimising settlement assays of pediveligers and plantigrades of Mytilus galloprovincialis

The mussel Mytilus galloprovincialis is a common aquaculture species, and also a major fouling organism that has negative economic impacts. There are no standard assay conditions for this important species and therefore, this study quantified the effect of key factors on the settlement of pediveligers and plantigrades. Density dependent settlement did not occur for either pediveligers or plantigrades. Settlement increased in drop assays in a 12 h light:12 h dark cycle, while bottom shade had no effect of any magnitude. In addition, settlement was significantly enhanced by storing pediveligers for between 4 and 24 days at 4°C. Overall, these data provide the template to optimise and standardise static laboratory settlement assays for mussels in order to develop materials that either enhance settlement for the aquaculture industry, or deter settlement for antifouling applications. Furthermore, simple mechanisms such as storage at 4°C can enhance settlement beyond current methods used in aquaculture hatcheries.

The seeding and cultivation of a tropical species of filamentous Ulva for algal biomass production.

Filamentous species of Ulva are ideal for cultivation because they are robust with high growth rates and maintained across a broad range of environments. Temperate species of filamentous Ulva are commercially cultivated on nets which can be artificially ‘seeded’ under controlled conditions allowing for a high level of control over seeding density and consequently biomass production. This study quantified for the first time the seeding and culture cycle of a tropical species of filamentous Ulva (Ulva sp. 3) and identified seeding density and nursery period as key factors affecting growth and biomass yield. A seeding density of 621,000 swarmers m-1 rope in combination with a nursery period of five days resulted in the highest growth rate and correspondingly the highest biomass yield. A nursery period of five days was optimal with up to six times the biomass yield compared to ropes under either shorter or longer nursery periods. These combined parameters of seeding density and nursery period resulted in a specific growth rate of more than 65% day−1 between 7 and 10 days of outdoor cultivation post-nursery. This was followed by a decrease in growth through to 25 days. This study also demonstrated that the timing of harvest is critical as the maximum biomass yield of 23.0±8.8 g dry weight m−1 (228.7±115.4 g fresh weight m−1) was achieved after 13 days of outdoor cultivation whereas biomass degraded to 15.5±7.3 g dry weight m−1 (120.2±71.8 g fresh weight m−1) over a longer outdoor cultivation period of 25 days. Artificially seeded ropes of Ulva with high biomass yields over short culture cycles may therefore be an alternative to unattached cultivation in integrated pond-based aquaculture systems.

Methods for the Induction of Reproduction in a Tropical Species of Filamentous Ulva

The green seaweed Ulva is a major fouling organism but also an edible aquaculture product in Asia. This study quantified for the first time the effect of key factors on the reproduction of a tropical species of filamentous Ulva (Ulva sp. 3). The controlled timing of release of swarmers (motile reproductive bodies) was achieved when experiments were initiated in the early afternoon by exposing the thalli to a temperature shock (4°C) for 10 min and subsequently placing them into autoclaved filtered seawater under a 12 h light: 12 h dark photoperiod at 25°C. The release of swarmers then peaked two days after initiation. In contrast, segmentation, dehydration, salinity or time of initiation of experiments had no effect of any magnitude on reproduction. The released swarmers were predominantly biflagellate (95%), negatively phototactic and germinated without complementary gametes. This indicates that Ulva sp. 3 has a simple asexual life history dominated by biflagellate zoids.

Combining a photocatalyst with microtopography to develop effective antifouling materials

Polydimethylsiloxane surfaces textured with a square-wave linear grating profile (0, 20, 200, 300 and 600 μm), and embedded with a range of photocatalytic titanium dioxide (TiO2) nanoparticle loadings (3.75, 7.5, 11.25 and 15 wt.%), were used to test the combined efficacy of these technologies as antifouling materials. Settlement of the fouling bryozoan species Bugula neritina was quantified in the laboratory under two intensities of UV light. The lowest settlement rates were observed on 20 μm surfaces. However, texture effects were not as critical to larval settlement as the presence of TiO2. In conjunction with UV light, TiO2 completely inhibited larval metamorphosis even at the lowest loading (3.75 wt.%) and the lowest intensity of UV light (24 W m−2). Recruitment of B. neritina was also quantified in field trials and showed similar results to laboratory assays. The lowest recruitment was observed on 20 and 200 μm surfaces, with recruitment being significantly lower on all surfaces containing TiO2. Therefore for B. neritina, although all TiO2 loadings were effective, 3.75 wt.% can be used as a minimum inhibitory concentration to deter larval settlement and the addition of a 20 μm texture further increases the deterrent effect.

Where to Settle—Settlement Preferences of Mytilus galloprovincialis and Choice of Habitat at a Micro Spatial Scale

The global mussel aquaculture industry uses specialised spat catching and nursery culture ropes made of multi-filament synthetic and natural fibres to optimise settlement and retention of mussels for on-growing. However, the settlement ecology and preferences of mussels are poorly understood and only sparse information exists in a commercial context. This study quantified the settlement preferences of pediveligers and plantigrades of Mytilus galloprovincialis on increasingly complex surfaces and settlement locations at a micro spatial scale on and within ropes under commercial hatchery operating conditions using optical microscopy and X-ray micro-computed tomography (µCT). M. galloprovincialis has clear settlement preferences for more complex materials and high selectivity for settlement sites from the pediveliger through to the plantigrade stage. Pediveligers of M. galloprovincialis initially settle inside specialised culture ropes. Larger pediveligers were located close to the exterior of ropes as they increased in size over time. In contrast, smaller individuals were located deeper inside of the ropes over time. This study demonstrates that X-ray µCT is an excellent non-destructive technique for mapping settlement and attachment sites of individuals as early as one day post settlement, and quantifies the number and location of settled individuals on and within ropes as a tool to understand and optimise settlement in complex multi-dimensional materials and environments.

Reproductive output and productivity of filamentous tropical Ulva over time

The production of macroalgae in the tropics requires robust species that tolerate temperature and salinity fluctuations. The widely distributed macroalga Ulva sp. 3 is tolerant of these environmental challenges; however, a reliable source of seedlings and a consistent production of biomass are critical for the sustainable long-term cultivation of this species. Therefore, the objective of this study was to quantify the reproductive output and productivity of multiple cultivation cycles of the asexually reproducing Ulva sp. 3 seeded onto ropes using the harvested biomass of each cycle as the seedstock for each successive generation. The seedstock of three independent collections was assessed across multiple asexual generations in outdoor culture to investigate generational and environmental effects. This study, for the first time, has demonstrated that Ulva sp. 3 can be cultivated successfully over multiple (up to seven) successive generations and highlighted the importance of generational and environmental effects. Notably, there was an order of a magnitude decrease in reproductive output and greater than 4-fold decrease in biomass productivity across generations, while the decrease across cultivation cycles was more pronounced with a greater than 20-fold decrease in reproductive output and an order of a magnitude decrease in biomass productivity. The marked decrease in reproduction and productivity was driven by a generational effect in combination with environmental effect across the multi-generational study and both require consideration for the intensive production of biomass.