THE ANTIFOULING ACTIVITY OF NATURAL AND SYNTHETIC PHENOLIC-ACID SULFATE ESTERS

p-(sulphooxy) Cinnamic acid was isolated as a natural product for the first time from the seagrass Zostera marina (eelgrass) and was found t o prevent attachment of marine bacteria and barnacles to artificial su rfaces at non-toxic concentrations. Analogous synthetic sulphate ester s had similar antifouling properties, while the non-sulphated phenolic acid precursors were ineffective. The antifouling properties of pheno lic acid sulphates are consistent with an emerging pattern of biologic al activity exhibited by other sulphate esters isolated from a variety of marine organisms, and their low toxicity offers promise for the de velopment of environmentally benign antifouling agents to protect stru ctures in aquatic environments.