International. Researchers at Sultan Qaboos University (SQU) have teamed up with a marine facility and marina (Almouj Marina in The Wave, Muscat) to develop technologically improved and non-toxic coatings for use on ships, submerged structures and industrial equipment.
The experiment carried out in the marina involves a unique ecological approach in which nanostructures are grown in fishing nets (test surfaces) to avoid biological contamination. Metal oxide nanostructures absorb sunlight to provide a shield of highly reactive oxygen and hydroxyl debris in the vicinity of coated surfaces, thus hindering the accumulation of biologically scaled species through a process called photocatalysis.
"The results of this field trial could potentially reduce biological pollution in local marine environments, an issue that is responsible for more than $10 billion in damage worldwide," said Dr. Sergey Dobretsov, head of the department of marine science and fisheries at SQU.
