Solution to prevent oysters clinging to boats

Scardino found that shellfish such as clams and oysters . evolved in their own way so that other creatures could not cling to them. Scientists are looking for ways to prevent sea creatures from sticking to the bottom of the ship by designing an antirust agent that is similar to the non-stick surface of mussels and oysters .

If research is successful, the product may replace existing antirust agents, which use heavy metals or toxic substances that the international maritime industry wants to eliminate.

Currently, marine vessels often encounter two major obstacles, namely the rusting of hulls and biological rust (clinging to marine organisms such as algae, sea worms, oysters . These organisms makes the friction force increase, causing the ship to slow down, causing fuel waste.

The body and bottom of the ship are often caught by oysters, seaweeds, reducing the speed and the hull of the ship quickly deteriorating.(Photo: ABConline)

Research by Dr. Andrew Scardino and colleagues, from the Australian Defense Science and Technology Organization to reduce rust and biological rust.

Scardino found that shellfish such as clams and oysters . evolved in their own way so that other creatures could not cling to them."For some shellfish, it will be a big problem if the pests cling to their mouths, making them unable to filter water and food , " he said.

Upon further investigation, he found a microscopic structure that seemed to play an important role in preventing these unwanted strangers. For example, the surface of green mussels has tiny grooves only a few micrometres apart. Another species, Tellina plicate , has pyramid-shaped poles on the surface.

Scardino performed experiments using an artificial surface, designed to resemble sea shells, to check how differences in surfaces affect rust.

He found that when the distance between the pores or the grooves is small enough, oyster larvae or spores of algae are hard to grasp. But over time, when tiny microbes fill these protrusions and create a flat surface, pests are easy to stick to.

Scardino believes that in nature, on the surface of oyster clams, there must be special substances that kill the other bacteria, or prevent them from building up. And indeed, he also found that green mussels secrete the fluids that killed some types of bacteria, although it was not yet isolated.

Scardino said his plan was to develop a synthetic cover with oyster clams, containing a wide spectrum of antimicrobial agents to prevent rust on the ship.

T. An