Biofouling: Status and challenges in the marine environment

Any natural or artificial substrates in the marine environment are quickly fouled by marine microorganisms and macrospecies, and the complex structures and process is known as biofouling. These complex structures rapidly respond to environmental changes and encompass diverse microbial structures and functions. Biofouling is ubiquitous in the marine environment and is of major concern for many fields, such as environment, industries, and humans. Moreover, biofouling can result to cut sustainability in many areas, like reduced efficiency, increased consumption, and increased greenhouse gas emissions. In addition, it causes the weakening and corrosion of maritime infrastructure, detrimental effects on marine environment, and transfer of harmful indigenous or nonindigenous species. In this chapter, we discuss biofouling dynamics in marine environment (e.g., distribution, diversity, substrate and organism interaction, relationship with substrate-organism interaction and marine geochemical-physical characteristics), yesterday’s today’s and tomorrow’s prevention and management strategies, and control of biofouling using new approaches (e.g., bioinspired, nano-based, or combined methods) and traditional chemical, biological, and physical methods. Moreover, this chapter aims to highlight known or potential hazards of biofouling control strategies on marine environment and human. In addition, the impact and management of biofouling in the marine environment is evaluated towards sustainability, such as economic, energy aspects. We also highlight knowledge gaps, areas for future research, and potential impacts of marine biofouling.