Biofouling on surfaces – Videometer Resources

What is biofouling?

Biofouling is the adhesion and accumulation of biological material – protein, biofilm, bacteria, algae, plants, and animals – on wet surfaces. The adhesion and accumulation of biological material on these surfaces can lead to a range of functional deficiencies, including reduced speed, increased fuel consumption, and damage to equipment.

Antifouling materials and coatings are designed to prevent or minimize biofouling and are used in a range of industries, including shipping, aquaculture, and offshore oil and gas. Whereas, antifouling is the ability of materials or coatings to prevent, minimize, or remove biofouling. In marine vessels, biofouling has been seen to increase fuel consumption by up to 40%.

VideometerLab and Videometer Multiray measures biofouling on surfaces – rapidly and easily

VideometerLab and Videometer Multiray are advanced imaging instruments that are capable of measuring and analyzing biofouling on surfaces in a rapid and easy manner. By generating abundance maps of algae based on color, spectral reflectance, chlorophyll A fluorescence, chlorophyll B fluorescence, UV fluorescence, and fluorescence yield, these instruments can provide detailed information on the nature and extent of biofouling on a surface.

Additionally, the Videometer technology can also analyze algal morphology and texture, as well as detect the presence of barnacles and traces of barnacles in the initial growth phases. These advanced imaging techniques provide a fast and robust way to assess microtopography and biofouling on a variety of surfaces.

Overall, the VideometerLab and Videometer Multiray instruments are powerful tools for the detection and analysis of biofouling in aquatic environments, offering a fast, accurate, and non-destructive method for assessing the extent and nature of biofouling on a surface. Check out the examples in the biofouling presentation.