Biocides in Antifouling Paint Formulations Currently Registered For Use

Abstract

Antifouling paints incorporate biocides in their composition seeking to avoid or minimize the settlement and growing of undesirable fouling organisms. Therefore, biocides are released into the aquatic environments also affecting several non-target organisms and, thus, compromising ecosystems. Despite global efforts to investigate the environment occurrence and toxicity of biocides currently used in antifouling paints, the specific active ingredients that have been used in commercial products are poorly known. Thus, the present study assessed the frequencies of occurrence and relative concentrations of biocides in antifouling paint formulations registered for marketing worldwide. The main data were obtained from databases of governmental agencies, business associations and safety data sheets from paint manufacturers around the world. Results pointed out for 25 active ingredients currently used as biocides, where up to six biocides have been simultaneously used in the examined formulations. Cuprous oxide, copper pyrithione, zinc pyrithione, zineb, DCOIT and cuprous thiocyanate were the most frequently ones, with mean relative concentrations of 35.9±12.8 %, 2.9±1.6 %, 4.0±5.3 %, 5.4±2.0 %, 1.9±1.9 % and 18.1±8.0 % (w/w) of respective biocide present in the antifouling paint formulations. Surprisingly, antifouling paints containing TBT as active ingredient are still being registered for commercialization nowadays. These results can be applied as a proxy of biocides that are possibly being used by antifouling systems and, consequently, released into the aquatic environment, which can help to prioritize the active ingredients that should be addressed in future studies.