Probing the correlation between corrosion resistance and biofouling of thermally sprayed metallic substrata in the field

The correlation between inherent corrosion resistance and biofouling was investigated for five different metallic coatings. Steel panels thermally spray-coated with either aluminium, Monel, bronze or different aluminium alloys were tested in controlled salt mist conditions and electrochemical corrosion tests and subsequently employed at sea. The biofouling of the panels was monitored at different depths (5, 10 and 15 m) at periods ranging from 5 to 12 months. The main macrofouling organisms were quantified and analysed using permutational multivariate analysis. The results indicate a significant difference in fouling pressure between depths and the geographic sites used. No statistically significant link between high corrosion resistance and lower biofouling pressure was observed, indicating that the main marine macrofoulers settled equally well on corrosion resistant and corrosion prone metallic surfaces. This work sheds light on biofouling of thermally sprayed metallic substrata and it characterizes and compares biofouling assemblages from different biogeographical regions in Europe.