Marine organisms: A potential source of natural antifouling metabolites

Marine organisms have been proven to be excellent sources of environmentally benign biogenic compounds. These metabolites have received much attention because of their pharmacological and antifouling activites. Biofouling process is known to cause serious problems to the submerged structures. Many countries have ratified an international treaty to ban the application of antifouling coatings based on organotin compounds. This has underlined the urgent demand for environmentally benign, non-toxic antifouling compounds to substitute the efficient but extremely toxic antifouling. Members of marine macroorganisms which include sponges, sea weeds, sea anemone etc. and microorganisms viz. bacteria, fungi, and actinomycetes have been reported to produce antifouling compounds. This review attempts to bring together the bioprospection for natural antifouling compounds which would be potential candidates in the development of environmentally benign antifouling paints.