Bio-inspired antifouling approaches: the quest towards non-toxic and non-biocidal materials

Biofouling is an undesirable process in which organisms and their by-products encrust a surface. Antifouling solutions are of great importance since biofouling has negative effects on numerous species, ecosystems, and areas including water treatment facilities, health-care systems, and marine devices. Many useful solutions have been developed in the last few decades. However, with the emergence of environmental issues, the search for new promising non-toxic materials has expanded. One approach tries to mimic natural antifouling surfaces and relies on mechanisms of action derived from nature. Since these materials are based on natural systems, they are mostly biocompatible and more efficient against complex fouling. In this review, we cover the latest advances in the field of antifouling materials. We specifically focus on biomaterials that are based on the chemical and physical behavior of biological systems.