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An. R. Acad. Nac. Farm., 2010, 76 (2): 189-208

ARTÍCULO

The ignored stowaways: worldwide
dispersion of exotic microalgae species
through the biofouling recovering
the ships underwater body

Victoria López-Rodas 1, 2, Raquel González 1, Eduardo Costas 1, 2 *

1 Departamento de Genética (Producción Animal). Facultad de Veterinaria.
Universidad Complutense de Madrid. Avda. Puerta de Hierro, s/n.
28040. Madrid (Spain).
2 AlgasGen Biotecnología EBT-UCM.
Avda. Puerta de Hierro, s/n. 28040. Madrid (Spain).
Recibido el 13 de abril de 2010.

ABSTRACT

Invasion by introduced species cause huge environmental damage
and economic (estimated in $138 billion in USA). Marine ecosystems
are specially affected by introduced species of toxin-producing
microalgae. Ships ballast water has been considered the major vector
in dispersion of phytoplankton. However, most ships do not use
ballast water. Alternatively, we propose that the biofouling recovering
the underwater body of ships is the main cause of microalgal
dispersion. Antifouling paints (containing tributyltin, TBT or other
toxics) are used to coat the bottoms of ships to prevent biofouling.
After sampling biofouling recovering the underwater body of ships
we demonstrate that numerous coastal, oceanic and toxin-producing
microalgae species proliferates attached on bottoms of ships directly
on TBT antifouling paint. These microalgae species should be
resistant variants because antifouling paints rapidly destroy sensitive
wild type microalgae. Consequently, the key to explain microalgae

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