A new use for organotin based antifouling coatings

Abstract

The use of triorganotin compounds as successful antifouling agents for use on seagoing vessels is well established. In particular the tributyltin and triphenyltin compounds are very effective toxicants to the most common type of fouling organisms such as barnacles, sea grass, molluscs and sponges. Organotin‐based antifouling coatings can be applied in a number of ways. The most common system of application is with the chemical antifouling compound physically mixed into paint. Diffusion of the organotin compound to the coating surface then takes place, and it is released into the water; with this method the rate of release of the toxicant decreases over a period of time and eventually the coating has to be replaced. An alternative method of dispersing the toxicant is from a polymer coating formulated by chemically binding the organotin molecules to a polymeric binder in the paint. In this method a ‘controlled release’ of the toxicant is achieved, with a constant rate of release of the compound over a period of time, so that an effective toxic concentration is maintained. Organotin‐based antifouling agents have increased in popularity in recent years, as the lifetime of these coatings is longer than the traditional copper oxide‐based products. In the long term, therefore, organotin‐based coatings are cheaper to use. In addition, these coatings do not present an environmental hazard, as the organotin decomposes to a non‐toxic inorganic tin compound.

Citation

(1984), "A new use for organotin based antifouling coatings", Pigment & Resin Technology, Vol. 13 No. 11, pp. 12-12. https://doi.org/10.1108/eb042078