biofouling
Unwanted marine growth
Biofouling is the accumulation of organisms on submerged surfaces—barnacles on ship hulls, algae on pipes, mussels on underwater structures.
The growth creates drag, reduces efficiency, and can damage equipment.
Industries spend billions on antifouling coatings and treatments to prevent it: The ship was dry-docked to remove years of biofouling.
Shell-armored marine clingers
- musselsEdible marine bivalves
- algaePrimitive aquatic photosynthesizers
- hullOuter covering or frame
- shipSeagoing transport vessel
vessel · antifouling · seawater · encrustation · colonization · organisms · attachment · substrate
Harmful non-native organism
- translocationMovement to another place
- biodiversityRange of life forms
- ecosystemInterconnected organisms and surroundings
- vectorsDirected magnitude quantities
alien species · spread · colonizers · non-native · introduction · dispersal · environmental impact · biosecurity
Tubes for transporting fluids
- heat exchangersTransfer thermal energy between media
- cooling systemsMechanisms that dissipate heat
- membranesThin flexible tissue layers
- desalinationExtracting salt from seawater
power plants · intake · clogging · efficiency · maintenance · water treatment · corrosion · infrastructure
Metal-oxygen compound, reddish-black
- ultrasonicAbove audible frequency range
- cleaningRemoving dirt and mess
- groomingSelf-care for appearance
- hydrophobicRepels aqueous substances
nanostructures · biomimetic · electrolysis · UV treatment · chlorination · eco-friendly · non-toxic
barnacles
Shell-armored marine clingers
ship · vessel · antifouling · seawater · encrustation · colonization · organisms · attachment · substrate · slime
invasive species
Harmful non-native organism
- translocationMovement to another place
- biodiversityRange of life forms
- ecosystemInterconnected organisms and surroundings
vectors · alien species · spread · colonizers · non-native · introduction · dispersal · environmental impact · biosecurity · quarantine
pipelines
Tubes for transporting fluids
- heat exchangersTransfer thermal energy between media
- cooling systemsMechanisms that dissipate heat
- membranesThin flexible tissue layers
desalination · power plants · intake · clogging · efficiency · maintenance · water treatment · corrosion · infrastructure · filtration
copper oxide
Metal-oxygen compound, reddish-black
- ultrasonicAbove audible frequency range
- cleaningRemoving dirt and mess
- groomingSelf-care for appearance
hydrophobic · nanostructures · biomimetic · electrolysis · UV treatment · chlorination · eco-friendly · non-toxic
- marine corrosiongalvanic corrosion, barnacles, antifouling, sacrificial anodes, pitting
- membrane filtrationreverse osmosis, semipermeable, membrane technology, hollow fiber, permeability
- fouling typessludge
- ecologyhabitat, ecosystem, balance, niche, food webs
- algaealgae, green algae, chlorella, red algae, kelp
- algae growthphotosynthesis, reproduction, light exposure, blooms, algal blooms
biofoulinguncolonized
Never occupied by outsiders
unfouled · cleanliness · antifouling · clean · sterility
foul, biology, bio, biological, biotic, fouling, biomass, abiotic, biocide