Bio-fouling in bridge substructures Biological fouling (biofouling): It is the undesirable accumulation of microorganisms, plants and animals on artificial surfaces.

This occurs on artificial surfaces submerged in seawater (marine biofouling), such as seaside piers as well as on other surfaces in continuous contact with water, such as water pipes. Biofouling is divided into micro fouling - biofilm formation and bacterial adhesion - and macro fouling attachment of larger organisms, of which the main culprits are barnacles, mussels, plicate worms, bryozoans and seaweed. It is also defined as the gradual accumulation of waterborne organisms (as bacteria and protozoa) on the surfaces of engineering structures in water that contributes to corrosion of the structures and to a decrease in the efficiency of Significance of biofouling: Biofouling on ships and reduces their speed (due to a reduction fuel in and moving parts

hydrodynamics)

maneuverability,

causing

increased

maintenance costs. On static structures (e.g. buoys, piers, jetties, offshore oil and gas platforms) biofouling can enhance the corrosion of metal by seawater, reducing the metal's susceptibility to environmental fracture, and increasing the risk of mechanical failure. Effects of biofouling: Anaerobic bacteria can propagate in the deeper layers of the biofilm where little oxygen reaches. Some of these anaerobes are capable of metabolizing carbon from stainless steel, and some produce nitric, sulfuric, or other organic acids that further accelerate corrosion. The depletion of oxygen in the wetted surfaces under bacterial colonies can result in the formation of "differential aeration cells" that can lead to galvanic corrosion. Individually small, accumulated binoculars can form enormous masses that severely diminish ships maneuverability carrying capacity. In order to minimize the

impacts of foulers, many underwater structures are protected by antifouling coatings. Coatings, however, have been found to be toxic to marine organisms. Most approaches to novel control methods have been focused on compounds that might repel or inhibit the adhesion of fouling organisms .In today's climate a potential fouling control agent must have good mammalian and ecotoxicological profile .One such compound is zosteric acid, a sulphoxy phenolic acid derived from eelgrass (Zostera marina) which inhibits the accumulation by interfering with adhesion. Another approach is to synthesize 'non sticky' polymers that have same surface properties as those organisms that remain foulant free. Marine fouling is the visible sign of infestation by various sedentary organisms practically on all-engineering materials used for marine and offshore services. Materials submerged in the ocean follow a sequence of physical, chemical and biological changes at their surfaces, following a surface conditioning by organic matter. Micro-organisms, apart from affecting corrosion by them selves, aid in the colonization of spores of algae and the larval form of macro fouling organisms (Secheer and Gunderson, 1873; Corp, 1976). The composition, extent and rate of development of a macro-fouling community at any site is determined by the interaction of many variables, notably geographic location, nutrient availability, light levels, water depth and its biota. The settlement of some species, particularly barnacle is not always random but may be encouraged by the presence of other individuals of the same species. Marine organisms can modify the local environment of the structures, by influencing oxygen concentration cells, changing the pH and also through the production of metabolites, which create a more aggressive electrolyte. Algae are capable of raising the pH to above two units than that of the seawater and lower it to 1.8 when they decompose. The hard fouler such as barnacles are capable of reducing the pH to 1-2 beneath the base of their shell. Fouling can enhance corrosion by bacterial action of both aerobic and anaerobic nature. The sulphur oxidizing bacteria, Thio bacillus sp. oxidise

inorganic sulphate and produce sulfuric acid, which is corrosive to steel and concrete. Biofouling is especially economically significant on ships' hulls where high levels of fouling can reduce the performance of the vessel and increase its fuel requirements.[1] Biofouling is also found in almost all circumstances where water based liquids are in contact with other materials. Industrially important examples include membrane systems, such as membrane bioreactors and reverse osmosis spiral wound membranes cooling water cycles of large industrial equipments and power stations. Biofouling can also occur in oil pipelines carrying oils with entrained water especially those carrying used oils, cutting oils, soluble oil or hydraulic oils. One of the primary ways to prevent biofouling is to select the appropriate material out of which to make a structure. This may be accomplished in coordination with the biological knowledge of biofouling organisms. For example, zebra mussels find aluminum-bronze distasteful, so they tend to avoid such structures.29 Cupronickels (copper-nickel alloys) have good biofouling and corrosion resistance, and therefore are often used for surfaces or surface coatings.30 Two of the most popular materials used are 90/10 and 70/30 copper-nickel alloys (90%Cu-10%Ni and 70%Cu-30%Ni, respectively).31 This method may not be effective in every situation, especially with ships that travel great distances through waters of different temperatures and salinity, rendering a change in materials' resistances to biofouling. One of the earliest methods of solving the problem was simply to scrap those areas in bridge substructure. This solution, although simple and relatively effective, poses one not so obvious major problem spread of invasive species. This is illustrated best with the population explosion of zebra mussels (Dreissena polymorpha) in the Great Lakes region. The mussels are picked up by fishing equipment, ships and other vessels and transported to non-native waters where they wreak havoc on native environments. To counter the spread of invasive species, many areas have established hull-cleaning laws

that state that any material removed from a hull must be collected and disposed of properly. When cleaning (or scraping) becomes time consuming or ineffective, industries turn to perhaps the most widely accepted method of controlling and preventing biofouling - antifouling coatings. One of the most popular of these is tin-based coatings, specifically triorganotin- or organostannic- or simply, TBT-coatings. These are also considered self-polishing, as there is a controlled hydrolysis (decomposition) of the surface, which releases the TBT in a slow, steady fashion from the substrate.