A novel bioassay for evaluating the efficacy of biocides to inhibit settling and early establishment of marine biofilms

This paper presents a novel assay that allows a quick and robust assessment of the effects of biocides on the initial settling and establishment of marine photoautotrophic biofilms including the multitude of indigenous fouling organisms. Briefly, biofilms are established in the field, sampled, comminuted and re-settled on clean surfaces, after 72 h chlorophyll a is measured as an integrating endpoint to reflect both settling and growth. Eight antifoulants were used to evaluate the assay. Efficacy ranking, based on EC98 values from most to least efficacious compound is: copper pyrithione > TPBP > DCOIT > tolylfluanid > zinc pyrithione > medetomidine > copper (Cu2+), while ecotoxicological ranking (based on EC10 values) is irgarol, copper pyrithione > zinc pyrithione > TPBP > tolylfluanid > DCOIT > copper (Cu2+)>medetomidine. The algaecide irgarol did not cause full inhibition. Instead the inhibition leveled out at 95% effect at 30 nmol l−1, a concentration that was clearly lower than for any other of the tested biocides.