The present investigation is an attempt to bring out the specific antifouling properties of extracts of five species of marine algae collected from the Gulf of Mannar area of Tuticorin coast. The extracts from seaweeds namely,Ulva lactuca, Caulerpa calpelliformis, Padina boergesenii, Caulerpa sp. and Chaetomorpha linoides were tested against biofilm forming bacteria namely, Micrococci sp., Aeromonas sp., Pseudomonas sp., Flavobacterium sp., Cytophaga sp. and Enterobacter sp. The disc diffusion method was used to find out the inhibition of biofilm forming bacteria through zone of inhibition. Four species were found to have antagonistic activity against biofilm forming bacterial isolates. We conclude that the broad antifouling properties of the crude extracts inhibit the growth of biofilm forming bacteria.

Seaweeds, antifouling, biofilm bacteria