A comprehensive approach to antifouling strategies in desalination, marine environment, and wastewater treatment

Biofouling is a menace commonly associated with materials widely used for various applications that necessitate contact with water. Biofouling entities are usually composed of proteins, lipids and other micro-flora and fauna and their accumulation on the surfaces of materials in contact with water leads to the decrement in their performance such as reduction in water flux and membrane permeability. To solve this difficulty, various forms of antifouling strategies have been synthesised all over the world. In this paper, the application of various antifouling strategies such as polymer coatings, hydrogels, biocides, nanotechnology based and other miscellaneous coatings in different environmental scenarios such as desalination (saline environment) and marine environment (aquatic environment) and their effect on reducing fouling has been made. The prospects and challenges of various strategies have also been discussed in brief.