Study to support the amendment of the “Guidelines for brief sampling of anti-fouling systems on ships” to include controls on cybutryne

The “Surface area” parameter of the model can be used to represent the emissions of cybutryne at the end of the service life of the hull. [...] Given the biocide concentration in the AFS is kept almost constant in both “Soluble Matrix” and “SPC” AF systems, the real parameter to follow for predicting the leaching rate and consequential PEC is the percentage of painted area still present on the hull and the correlation between this area and the biocide concentration (see paragraph 1.2). [...] The method calculates the mean leaching rate for the product by dividing the amount of total biocide in 1cm2 of paint (knowing the thickness) by the days claimed for the service life. [...] All in all, a harmonisation, simplification, and clarification on the number of sample points, the number of replicates, the criteria for compliance and the analytical procedures would promote the use and interpretation of the Guidelines. [...] As discussed in chapter 1 the threshold rational for cybutryne is based on the percent of paint on the hull still carrying cybutryne more than the percent of cybutryne in the paint itself.