Nanotechnology-Based Solutions for Antibiofouling Applications: An Overview

Biofouling is a serious concern and can cause health risks and financial burdens in many settings such as maritime structures, medical devices, and water treatment plants. Many technologies employing toxic biocides, antifouling toxic coatings, and chlorine have been established to prevent or impede biofouling. However, their applications are limited due to environmental and health concerns regarding biocides and coating materials. To overcome this, novel antifouling coatings employing ecofriendly, non-toxic nanomaterials and appreciable antimicrobial and antibiofilm properties have been developed. Due to intrinsic antimicrobial properties, these antifouling nanocoatings have been proven to be effective against several water-borne microorganisms. Various nanostructures of metals (silver, copper, and gold), metal oxides (zinc oxide, titanium oxide, copper oxide, and cerium oxide), carbon (graphene and carbon nanotubes), and metal nanocomposites inhibit the biocorrosion and biofilm formation caused by bacteria. Besides, antifouling technology developed based on nanocontainers releases key active substances that promote self-cleaning, anticorrosion, and antibiofilm properties. This review provides a comprehensive overview of nanotechnology-enabled antifouling agents developed to combat micro- and macrofouling phenomena. Moreover, the recent progress in the applications of antifouling coatings in industrial sectors such as marine (ships), water-treatment plants, and medical devices is elaborated with relevant examples. The mechanistic insights into the inhibitory action of bacterial cell growth and biofilm formation by antifouling nanocoatings are presented. The challenges associated with developing antifouling nanoproducts, their practical limitations, and prospects are also discussed.