摘要：

This invention relates to an article comprising a bio-supportive media which bio-degrades at a preferred rate, comprising at least one bio-limiting agent and at least one nutritional source on a substrate. The media may be characterized as a polymer, composite, or amalgam of commonly used materials. The invention relates to altering the physical/chemical composition of the media such that bio-degradation can occur at a specific, usually accelerated, preferred rate. Further, the bio-degradation rate may be managed and balance concurrently with the ability to provide for the exposure of integral component(s) which are bio-active. This relationship essentially provides for a managed release or managed availability of agent(s) which creates a hew set of ecological conditions. These sustained conditions can maintain a micro-habitat; a limited consort of species, often slime which, due to this ecological trophic niche position, can utilize innate allelopathic means to further protect their position and deter predation. The relationships of the nutrients, blo-limiters, and biomass comprise a unique micro-habitat as an interface which provides protection from corrosion and deterioration of the substrate upon which it is fixed, and limits the biomass accumulation on the surface thereby providing control of fouling by reducing higher order organism(s) attachments, which otherwise are very economically costly. Specifically the invention relates to modifying the media formation whether as a polymer or composite or amalgam such that the physical and chemical properties of the media are altered to become more degradable in the host habitat. This is accomplished by altering the polymerization or formation of the composite or amalgam to provide for increased inter-granular or molecular locations which permit enhanced bio-degradative activity. Then by occluding or interspersing physical or chemically an agent which has bio-active properties, the organisms of various species which may attach or be attracted to the surface can be limited by their nutrition and tolerance of bio-active preference without the need for toxification or mechanical removal of undesirable or unwanted organism as settlers. Once the community of selected organisms establishes a natural equilibrium with the host habitat any capacity for allelopathic protection of the biofilm can be utilized or enhanced by this new and unique biological community to its benefit through management of the media components.

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