Cross-linked enzyme aggregates (CLEAs) of proteases were tested in artificial seawater (ASW) both as it is and as a component of the paint. It is found that all CLEAs have tolerance to xylene and have great stability in dried paint. Moreover, CLEA Bacillus licheniformis shows 900% activation during the storage in ASW in dried paint.

The formation of noncovalent complexes between glycosidase, endo-1,4-beta-D-mannanase, and ionic surfactant di(2-ethylhexyl) sodium sulfosuccinate (AOT) was shown to promote protein transfer into organic solvents such as xylene and hexane. It was found that mannanase can be solubilized in hexane and in xylene with concentration at least 2.5 and 2.0 mg/ml, respectively. The catalytic activity of the enzyme in hexane spontaneously increases with the concentration of AOT and is about 10% of the activity in aqueous system. In xylene, a catalytic activity higher than that in bulk aqueous conditions was found for the samples containing 0.1-0.3 mg/ml of mannanase, while for the samples with a higher concentration of enzyme, the activity was hardly detected.

The antifouling (AF) potential of hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) produced enzymatically in a coating containing starch, glucoamylase, and hexose oxidase was evaluated in a series of laboratory tests and in-sea field trials. Dissolved H2O2 inhibited bacterial biofilm formation by eight of nine marine Proteobacteria, tested in microtiter plates. However, enzymatically produced H2O2 released from a coating did not impede biofilm formation by bacteria in natural seawater tested in a biofilm reactor. A field trial revealed a noticeable effect of the enzyme system: after immersion in the North Sea for 97 days, the reference coating without enzymes had 35–40 barnacles, 10% area coverage by diatoms and 15% area coverage by tunicates. The enzyme containing coating had only 6–12 barnacles, 10% area coverage by diatoms and no tunicates. The enzyme system had a performance similar to a copper-based commercial coating and thus appears to have potential as a non-persistent AF agent.

Current antifouling technologies for ship hulls are based on metals such as cuprous oxide and co-biocides like zinc pyrithione. Due to the persistent adverse environmental effects of these biocides, enzyme-based antifouling paints are proposed as a bio-based, non-accumulating alternative. Here, a hydrogen peroxide-producing system composed of hexose oxidase (HOX, EC 1.1.3.5), glucoamylase (GA, EC 3.2.1.3) and starch is tested for the chemical and physical functionalities necessary for successful incorporation into a marine coating. The activity and stability of the enzymes in seawater was evaluated at different temperatures, and paint compatibility was assessed by measuring the distribution and activity of the enzymes incorporated into prototype coating formulations. We used a biomimetic encapsulation procedure for HOX through polyethylenimine-templated silica co-precipitation. The co-precipitation and formulation of a powder for mixing into a marine paint was performed in a one-step economical and gentle formulation process, in which silica co-precipitated HOX was combined with GA and starch to form the antifouling system. Silica co-precipitation significantly improved the stability and performance of the antifouling system in marine-like conditions. For example, encapsulation of HOX resulted in 46% higher activity at pH 8, and its stability in artificial seawater increased from retaining only 3.5% activity after 2 weeks to retaining 55% activity after 12 weeks. A coating comprising the full enzyme system released hydrogen peroxide at rates exceeding a target of 36 nmol cm−2 d−1 for 3 months in a laboratory assay, and had potential for prolonged action through incorporation in a self-polishing coating.