Prevention of biofouling by the induction of barnacle larvae toward blue LEDs light source and its application to the sustainable development of seaborne transport at sea

2017 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 26420824
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (C)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Section: 一般
• Research Field: Naval and maritime engineering
• Research Institution: Kobe University
• Principal Investigator: Mimura Haruo 神戸大学, 海事科学研究科, 教授 (90190727)
• Co-Investigator(Kenkyū-buntansha): 矢野 吉治 神戸大学, 海事科学研究科, 教授 (10174567) ; 広野 康平 神戸大学, 海事科学研究科, 准教授 (80346288)
• Project Period (FY): 2014-04-01 – 2018-03-31
• Keywords: 運航の経済性 / 摩擦抵抗増加の抑制 / 船底防汚 / フジツボ付着期幼生 / 青色LED光源 / 放射強度 / 誘引行動

Outline of Final Research Achievements

We developed the novel method for the prevention of the larval settlement by using LED irradiation. LED was irradiated above the surface of seawater body when barnacle larvae were suspended in a tub. The settlement was obviously inhibited where blue light with the maximum irradiation intensity of 293 W m-2 was reached at the bottom. The number of individuals settled under irradiation increased when blue-green, green and amber light with maximum irradiation intensity of 170, 214, and 185 W m-2 was reached independently, indicating that the strong blue LED light was highly applicable to the prevention of the settlement.
Next experiment was carried out by keeping the distance of the light source 40 cm from an immersion plate on which less than one-tenth irradiation intensity was reached. Obvious reduction of the individuals settled was observed, indicating that the prevention of the settlement on a ship's hull is possible by induction of larvae toward relatively strong blue light source.

Free Research Field

海洋微生物学