POLYMERS IN THE MARINE ENVIRONMENT

The plastics and polymers, as well as various composite materials are in wide use throughout the shipping industry; therefore they are commonly get exposed to the sea water. The biological fouling of the marine waters inevitably leads to the different problems for the vessels and boats, namely in the form of progressing corrosion of the hull and reduced speed of the ship, which the industry would like to prevent.

Hundreds of thousand tones of plastic wastes discarded to the sea every year, reach the environment because of the various shipping activities and land run-off. Today, it is estimated that about one million of the marine animals are killer by choking on floating plastics or due to entanglement in the debris made by plastic wastes, and the main reason for that is the slow degradation of the plastic materials. The polymers applied in the shipping industry, shall not foul and shall be stable for the long periods of exposure to the marine environment.

The present volume is covering the polymers' interaction with the marine environment and associated problems to the ecology, as well as their biological degradation and fouling, together with the possible solutions. That is why it is recommended to the people with the interest in utilization of these materials in the maritime industry and environment protection.