Leakage from boat bottom paints
This is a suggestion for a Degree Project for Bachelor's and Master's levels at the Department of Marine Sciences. Degree projects at the Department of Marine Sciences are done independently and must be written and assessed individually.
Area: Marine chemistry and marine biology
Level: Bachelor (15 credits)
Supervisor: Ann Larsson, Department of Marine Sciences, Maria Lagerström, Chalmers
Project background
Copper paints are used to prevent fouling on boat hulls.
Unfortunately, this also means leakage of copper into the marine environment with subsequent negative effects on marine organisms.
Project description
In this project, leakage from two types of copper paints that work in different ways is investigated. Partly hard paints with insoluble binder, and partly polishing paints with partially soluble binder.
The leakage of copper will be investigated by placing panels with applied paint in a current aquarium and comparing the leakage at different current velocities (thickness of the diffusive boundary layer) and temperatures.
The leakage is measured by measuring the content of copper in the paint before and after exposure with X-ray fluorescence (XRF). The work with the exposure in the current aquarium takes place at the Tjärnö Marine Laboratory.
The XRF measurements can take place at Tjärnö or at Chalmers Lindholmen in Gothenburg.
More about the project
The project forms part of HÅLL, which is a collaborative project between Chalmers University of Technology, SSPA, and the University of Gothenburg. The HÅLL project aims to produce decision-making material for maritime actors (operation, maintenance and paint production) as well as environmental authorities.
The goal is to achieve sustainable maintenance strategies for ship hulls through the optimization of paint systems and the type and interval of maintenance work. The project will evaluate different antifouling strategies with regard to cost, effectiveness and emissions to air and water.
Contact
Supervisor
Ann Larsson
Institutionen för marina vetenskaper
E-post: ann.larsson@marine.gu.se
Maria Lagerström
Chalmers
E-post: maria.lagerstrom@chalmers.se