ISMAR-CNR (Institute of Marine Sciences – Italian National Research Council) developed a special sampling system (Biofouling Monitoring Box – BMB) to be deployed in 12 selected locations in Europe (amongst all JERICO partners) both in coastal and open waters (see Figure 1).
The BMB (see Figure 2) is a monitoring device allowing to study the complexity of biofouling community. It was designed to simulate a wide range of sensors and sensor housing/containers, considering different substrates (metal, glass, plastic), spatial and structural heterogeneity typical of marine sensors immersed in coastal and open waters.
The main aims of this study will be:
- characterization of the biofouling community in the different geographic locations;
- screening of biofouling on different kind of sensors and identification of critical materials and areas of the instruments as regards the settlement of organisms
- deep understanding of biofouling as a technological problem peculiar of each tested material and each selected site, in order to identify the most effective and appropriate antifouling method to protect sensors and their housings from biofouling in each geographical location.