It’s boating season. Which means it’ll soon be time for that annoying ritual—the scraping of the barnacles which latch on tight and don’t let go. Barnacles can be a major pain: as they grow they build up calcium deposits under a boat’s paint. And their interference with smooth fluid flow can decrease fuel efficiency by up to 40 percent, a major problem for large vessels. Now, researchers might have a better option: a paint additive that kills just the barnacles. It’s a toxin based on a molecule created by a bacterium. The researchers developed a method of embedding that toxin into the paint so that it only gets released when the barnacle penetrates the paint. The scientists determined that the toxin works in low concentrations and could be effective for years. Which could lower the cost of paying the barnacle bill. --- in Scientific American
Posted on: Thu, 15 Aug 2013 04:20:50 +0000
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