Adhesive heparin coating for marine antifouling applications

Abstract

The control of marine biofouling has gained significant attention because the uncontrolled adhesion of marine organisms onto synthetic surfaces leads to serious problems. Here, we demonstrate a facile method to inhibit the adhesion of marine organisms using the sulfated polysaccharide, heparin. Heparin was conjugated with an adhesive molecule, catechol, and the resulting adhesive heparin was used as a surface coating for stainless steel, a material commonly used for marine vessels. Immersion of stainless steel surfaces in a solution of adhesive heparin resulted in a stable heparin coating. The marine antifouling property of the surface was confirmed using marine diatom adhesion assays, which revealed that the adhesive heparin coating reduced diatom adhesion by ~75%, as compared with untreated surfaces.

Recent Advances in Mussel-Inspired Synthetic Polymers as Marine Antifouling Coatings

“…Apart from the examples presented previously, mussel-inspired derivatives of various biopolymers [116] have attracted attention for their potential as multifunctional materials. Amongst the various catechol-derivatised biopolymers, polysaccharides (e.g., alginate [117,118], chitosan [119][120][121][122][123], hyaluronic acid [124], fucoidan [125], heparin [126,127]) hold a prominent position due to their set of attractive properties (e.g., biocompatibility, antimicrobial action, drug delivery). Coupling chemistries have either used dopamine reacting with available carboxyl groups [117,118,[124][125][126][127], or 3,4-dihydroxyhydrocinnamic acid reacting with available amine groups [119][120][121][122][123] such as in the case of chitosan (Scheme 12).…”

Catechol‐conjugated Dextran for Marine Antifouling Applications: The Adverse Effects of High Catechol Content

“…In addition to synthetic polymers, natural polysaccharides have been suggested to be promising marine antifouling materials thanks to their hydrophilic property. [25][26][27] For example, catechol-conjugated fucoidan and heparin were synthesized and utilized for marine antifouling coating. 25,26 However, the wider application of such materials has been limited due to the fact that heparin can cause virus-based infections and the exact chemical structure of fucoidan has not been elucidated.…”

“…[25][26][27] For example, catechol-conjugated fucoidan and heparin were synthesized and utilized for marine antifouling coating. 25,26 However, the wider application of such materials has been limited due to the fact that heparin can cause virus-based infections and the exact chemical structure of fucoidan has not been elucidated. 28,29 Dextran is another polysaccharide with excellent antifouling ability.…”

“…Notably, these polymer‐coated glass surfaces exhibited an excellent marine antifouling ability, preventing marine diatoms from adhering to the surface. In addition to synthetic polymers, natural polysaccharides have been suggested to be promising marine antifouling materials thanks to their hydrophilic property 25–27 . For example, catechol‐conjugated fucoidan and heparin were synthesized and utilized for marine antifouling coating 25,26 .…”

Crosslinking behaviors and mechanical properties of curable PDMS and PEG films with various contents of glycidyl methacrylate

“…Hard coating materials have been developed to protect various coating layers and to extend their product life . As an exemplary application of hard coating materials, marine paints for underwater ship parts must exhibit anti‐fouling properties to prevent and control the attachment of marine organisms . If many marine organisms are attached to the ship surface, the drag resistance and fuel consumption inevitably increase on a voyage .…”