The following biofouling solution have either not worked well enough in the past or have negative effects on the ocean environment and therefore better solution, like Obot, are required:
The attachment when it does occur is very light compared to the manner in which barnacles embed themselves onto the surface, without significant biofouling resistance allowing for a quick removal.
However, if the attachment is left on the surface for long enough, then removing fouling requires expensive cleaning regimes and the application of antifouling coatings.
Some solutions scientists have experimented with (have not worked in the past but may work in the future) are; heating, laser, ultrasonic waves, non-toxic anti-stick coating, biocide coating, mechanical removal. Some other solutions are explained below.
In less controlled environments, organisms are killed or repelled with coatings using biocides, thermal treatments, or pulses of energy. Nontoxic mechanical strategies that prevent organisms from attaching include choosing a material or coating with a slippery surface, creating an ultra-low fouling surface with the use of zwitterions, or creating nanoscale surface topologies similar to the skin of sharks and dolphins, which only offer poor anchor points.
The high copper alloys - particularly the Cu-Ni alloy with 10 % nickel UNS C70600 - reveal a unique biofouling resistance, which can last throughout the service life in marine environments.
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