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Wishfull thinking: Rationally designing a ‘smart’ marine antifouling biocide based on novel synthetic peptides


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The Cawthron Institute has released this, they have been funded and this is the public statement.

 

Biofouling – build-up of marine organisms on surfaces submerged in the sea – causes major financial and ecological issues for most maritime industries. When surfaces are covered with biofouling: fuel usage and greenhouse gas emissions dramatically increase for ships and other vessels; underwater structures deteriorate faster; and biosecurity risks are exacerbated if invasive species are present. Antifouling coatings are the primary tool to counteract biofouling but most leach toxins into the marine environment. Active and looming bans on current antifouling products necessitate innovative new approaches to effectively control biofouling without harming the environment in the process. Biocide-free foul-release approaches continue to be developed but they are only applicable to a defined subset of the market – industry needs better biocides to be developed.

 

This project will rationally design and synthesise a 'smart' antifouling biocide using a combination of cutting-edge medicinal chemistry approaches and pragmatic biological 'ground-truthing'. We aim to produce a fit-for-purpose 'smart' biocide that is:

potent against the range of problematic biofouling organisms when applied to artificial surfaces in the sea;

benign against marine life, including biofouling organisms on natural surfaces, if released into the environment;

and cost-effectively synthesized at an industrial scale.

 

Designing an entirely new class of 'smart' biocide from the ground up will place New Zealand at the forefront of antifouling technology development. Formulating the 'smart' biocide in traditional antifouling coating systems or novel biomaterials will protect existing manufacturing in New Zealand and develop new high-value export opportunities. The wide-scale availability of an effective yet safe antifouling formulation will improve productivity and social licence to operate for end users, whilst reducing environmental contamination and biosecurity risks in accordance with Māori principles of Kaitiakitanga.

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This project will rationally design and synthesise a 'smart' antifouling biocide using a combination of cutting-edge medicinal chemistry approaches and pragmatic biological 'ground-truthing'. We aim to produce a fit-for-purpose 'smart' biocide that is:

potent against the range of problematic biofouling organisms when applied to artificial surfaces in the sea;

benign against marine life, including biofouling organisms on natural surfaces, if released into the environment;

and cost-effectively synthesized at an industrial scale.

 

 

So, you want to make something that is effective, safe and cheap.  Why not just say so.  WTF is "ground-truthing" anyway, I don't think we had that in my day....?

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So, you want to make something that is effective, safe and cheap.  Why not just say so.  WTF is "ground-truthing" anyway, I don't think we had that in my day....?

When you find out what "ground truthing" is, can you let me know.

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"The term "ground truth" was coined in the geological/earth sciences to describe validation of data by going out in the field and checking "on the ground". It has been adopted in other fields to express the notion of data that is "known" to be correct."

 

Learn something new every day... ;-)

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I dont see why everyone is so negative. The Cawthron Institute  is a well known scientific research center.  They might be able to do it, and it would be an asset to us all if they did. Best of luck to me IMO.

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I dont see why everyone is so negative. The Cawthron Institute  is a well known scientific research center.  They might be able to do it, and it would be an asset to us all if they did. Best of luck to me IMO.

 

I think we'd all hope they succeed.  Just stop writing cr#p and get on with it!

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Agreed, they have been at the forefront of water quality research when I was working for Fish and Game and have some lateral thinkers that might just be able to do this. White coats, pens in pockets, clip boards and packed lunches. They are the real deal but what happened to the DSIRO work on sea spunges antifoul?

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It doesn’t need to kill organisms to work. It could simply be a compound that stops them from producing the “glue” that they use to hold on to your hull... or like tickling. As a kid you can’t hold on to sh*t if you’re being tickled. But it doesn’t kill you.... Cawthron Institute is high Calibre. Some very good scientists there.

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