The Presence of Marine Filamentous Fungi on a Copper-Based Antifouling Paint

Marine biofouling is undesirable growth on submerged substances, which causes a major problem for maritime industries. Antifouling paints containing toxic compounds such as copper are used to prevent marine biofouling. However, bacteria and diatoms are usually found in biofilms developed on such paints. In this study, plastic panels painted with a copper-based self-polishing antifouling paint were exposed to biofouling for 6 months in the Marina Bandar Rowdha, Sea of Oman. Clean panels were used as a control substratum. Marine filamentous fungi from protected and unprotected substrate were isolated on a potato dextrose agar. Pure isolates were identified using sequences of the ITS region of rDNA. Six fungal isolates (Alternaria sp., Aspergillus niger, A. terreus, A. tubingensis, Cladosporium halotolerans, and C. omanense) were obtained from the antifouling paint. Four isolates (Aspergillus pseudodeflectus, C. omanense, and Parengyodontium album) were isolated from clean panels and nylon ropes. This is the first evidence of the presence of marine fungi on antifouling paints. In comparison with isolates from the unprotected substrate, fungi from the antifouling paint were highly resistant to copper, which suggests that filamentous fungi can grow on marine antifouling paints.

A conspectus of the filamentous marine fungi of Sweden

Marine filamentous fungi have been little studied in Sweden, which is remarkable given the depth and width of mycological studies in the country since the time of Elias Fries. Seventy-four marine fungi are listed for Sweden based on historical records and recent collections, of which 16 are new records for the country. New records for the country are based on morphological identification of species mainly from marine wood, and most of them from the Swedish West Coast. In some instances, the identifications have been made by comparisons of sequences obtained from cultures with reference sequences in GenBank. Corollospora angusta, Corollospora filiformis, and Corollospora pulchella, previously known from tropical/subtropical areas, are recorded for the first time for Sweden. The arctic Havispora longyearbyensis was also found. Kalmusia longispora and Neocamarosporium calvescens were reported for the first time from marine habitats.