THE NONTOXIC EFFECTS OF A NOVEL ANTIFOULING MATERIAL ON OYSTER CULTURE

The production traits (size, weight, mortality and condition) of Crass ostrea gigas oysters were examined when cultured in cages coated with a novel antifouling material consisting of a polymer film based on a h ydrogel which had been loaded with the active material (benzalkonium c hloride-BCl), a mixture of alkyldimethylbenzylammonium chlorides. Prod uction traits of adult oysters and growth rate of larvae obtained from BCl-exposed adults were equal to the controls. Toxicity of BCl, as as sessed by the oyster embryo bioassay, was two orders of magnitude lowe r than TBT and one order of magnitude lower than copper, the active co mpounds presently used in antifouling paints. Copyright (C) 1996 Elsev ier Science Ltd