Design and In Situ Validation of Low-Cost and Easy to Apply Anti-Biofouling Techniques for Oceanographic Continuous Monitoring with Optical Instruments
Biofouling is the major factor that limits long-term monitoring studies with automated optical instruments. Protection of the sensing areas, surfaces, and structural housing of the sensors must be considered to deliver reliable data without the need for cleaning or maintenance. In this work, we pres...
| Main Authors: | , , , , , , |
|---|---|
| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
MDPI AG
2023-01-01
|
| Series: | Sensors |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/1424-8220/23/2/605 |
| _version_ | 1797437382423740416 |
|---|---|
| author | Tiago Matos Vânia Pinto Paulo Sousa Marcos Martins Emilio Fernández Renato Henriques Luis Miguel Gonçalves |
| author_facet | Tiago Matos Vânia Pinto Paulo Sousa Marcos Martins Emilio Fernández Renato Henriques Luis Miguel Gonçalves |
| author_sort | Tiago Matos |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Biofouling is the major factor that limits long-term monitoring studies with automated optical instruments. Protection of the sensing areas, surfaces, and structural housing of the sensors must be considered to deliver reliable data without the need for cleaning or maintenance. In this work, we present the design and field validation of different techniques for biofouling protection based on different housing materials, biocides, and transparent coatings. Six optical turbidity probes were built using polylactic acid (PLA), acrylonitrile butadiene styrene (ABS), PLA with copper filament, ABS coated with PDMS, ABS coated with epoxy and ABS assembled with a system for in situ chlorine production. The probes were deployed in the sea for 48 days and their anti-biofouling efficiency was evaluated using the results of the field experiment, visual inspections, and calibration signal loss after the tests. The PLA and ABS were used as samplers without fouling protection. The probe with chlorine production outperformed the other techniques, providing reliable data during the in situ experiment. The copper probe had lower performance but still retarded the biological growth. The techniques based on transparent coatings, epoxy, and PDMS did not prevent biofilm formation and suffered mostly from micro-biofouling. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-09T11:19:25Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-a803426a542745dbada7ae799c89cdf3 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1424-8220 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-09T11:19:25Z |
| publishDate | 2023-01-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Sensors |
| spelling | doaj.art-a803426a542745dbada7ae799c89cdf32023-12-01T00:24:29ZengMDPI AGSensors1424-82202023-01-0123260510.3390/s23020605Design and In Situ Validation of Low-Cost and Easy to Apply Anti-Biofouling Techniques for Oceanographic Continuous Monitoring with Optical InstrumentsTiago Matos0Vânia Pinto1Paulo Sousa2Marcos Martins3Emilio Fernández4Renato Henriques5Luis Miguel Gonçalves6CMEMS-UMinho, Campus de Azurém, University of Minho, 4800-058 Guimarães, PortugalCMEMS-UMinho, Campus de Azurém, University of Minho, 4800-058 Guimarães, PortugalCMEMS-UMinho, Campus de Azurém, University of Minho, 4800-058 Guimarães, PortugalINESC TEC, 4200-465 Porto, PortugalGrupo de Oceanografía Biolóxica, Faculty of Marine Science, Universidade de Vigo, 36310 Vigo, SpainInstitute of Earth Sciences, Campus de Gualtar, University of Minho Pole, 4710-057 Braga, PortugalCMEMS-UMinho, Campus de Azurém, University of Minho, 4800-058 Guimarães, PortugalBiofouling is the major factor that limits long-term monitoring studies with automated optical instruments. Protection of the sensing areas, surfaces, and structural housing of the sensors must be considered to deliver reliable data without the need for cleaning or maintenance. In this work, we present the design and field validation of different techniques for biofouling protection based on different housing materials, biocides, and transparent coatings. Six optical turbidity probes were built using polylactic acid (PLA), acrylonitrile butadiene styrene (ABS), PLA with copper filament, ABS coated with PDMS, ABS coated with epoxy and ABS assembled with a system for in situ chlorine production. The probes were deployed in the sea for 48 days and their anti-biofouling efficiency was evaluated using the results of the field experiment, visual inspections, and calibration signal loss after the tests. The PLA and ABS were used as samplers without fouling protection. The probe with chlorine production outperformed the other techniques, providing reliable data during the in situ experiment. The copper probe had lower performance but still retarded the biological growth. The techniques based on transparent coatings, epoxy, and PDMS did not prevent biofilm formation and suffered mostly from micro-biofouling.https://www.mdpi.com/1424-8220/23/2/605biofoulingoptical sensorstransparent coatingbiocidechlorinecopper |
| spellingShingle | Tiago Matos Vânia Pinto Paulo Sousa Marcos Martins Emilio Fernández Renato Henriques Luis Miguel Gonçalves Design and In Situ Validation of Low-Cost and Easy to Apply Anti-Biofouling Techniques for Oceanographic Continuous Monitoring with Optical Instruments Sensors biofouling optical sensors transparent coating biocide chlorine copper |
| title | Design and In Situ Validation of Low-Cost and Easy to Apply Anti-Biofouling Techniques for Oceanographic Continuous Monitoring with Optical Instruments |
| title_full | Design and In Situ Validation of Low-Cost and Easy to Apply Anti-Biofouling Techniques for Oceanographic Continuous Monitoring with Optical Instruments |
| title_fullStr | Design and In Situ Validation of Low-Cost and Easy to Apply Anti-Biofouling Techniques for Oceanographic Continuous Monitoring with Optical Instruments |
| title_full_unstemmed | Design and In Situ Validation of Low-Cost and Easy to Apply Anti-Biofouling Techniques for Oceanographic Continuous Monitoring with Optical Instruments |
| title_short | Design and In Situ Validation of Low-Cost and Easy to Apply Anti-Biofouling Techniques for Oceanographic Continuous Monitoring with Optical Instruments |
| title_sort | design and in situ validation of low cost and easy to apply anti biofouling techniques for oceanographic continuous monitoring with optical instruments |
| topic | biofouling optical sensors transparent coating biocide chlorine copper |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/1424-8220/23/2/605 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT tiagomatos designandinsituvalidationoflowcostandeasytoapplyantibiofoulingtechniquesforoceanographiccontinuousmonitoringwithopticalinstruments AT vaniapinto designandinsituvalidationoflowcostandeasytoapplyantibiofoulingtechniquesforoceanographiccontinuousmonitoringwithopticalinstruments AT paulosousa designandinsituvalidationoflowcostandeasytoapplyantibiofoulingtechniquesforoceanographiccontinuousmonitoringwithopticalinstruments AT marcosmartins designandinsituvalidationoflowcostandeasytoapplyantibiofoulingtechniquesforoceanographiccontinuousmonitoringwithopticalinstruments AT emiliofernandez designandinsituvalidationoflowcostandeasytoapplyantibiofoulingtechniquesforoceanographiccontinuousmonitoringwithopticalinstruments AT renatohenriques designandinsituvalidationoflowcostandeasytoapplyantibiofoulingtechniquesforoceanographiccontinuousmonitoringwithopticalinstruments AT luismiguelgoncalves designandinsituvalidationoflowcostandeasytoapplyantibiofoulingtechniquesforoceanographiccontinuousmonitoringwithopticalinstruments |