Have Zebra Mussels Found Their Match?

Have Zebra Mussels Found Their Match?

As Zebra Mussels continue to infest Midwest waters— proving themselves to be a multi-million dollar menace to American recreational industries — LuminOre Industrial and Marine Coatings has released a new video (www.luminoremarine.com/lm_video.html) documenting its on-going tests of LuminOre Copper hard coatings.
Featuring well-known Michigan diver Bret Solomon of Solomon Diving (Monroe, Mich.), the new video shows Solomon inspecting metal test plates positioned in a marine environment completely overrun with Zebra Mussels. However, despite the infestation, the video shows that the test plates treated with LuminOre Copper were completely clean and free Zebra Mussels.
“We placed metal test plates on an underwater structure in the Great Lakes that was completely infested with Zebra Mussels,” says Solomon, who has helped municipalities and industry fight Zebra Mussel infestation in the Great Lakes for nearly 20 years. “Since that time, I’ve documented and monitored their condition and, after five years, the test plates sprayed with LuminOre Copper have so far remained free from Zebra Mussel infestation.”
Solomon explains that about 50 percent of his current business is devoted to cleansing underwater structures of Zebra Mussels, which often place industrial facilities in jeopardy of completely shutting down. He explains that power plants and other industrial facilities that depend on water intake systems regularly fight Zebra Mussels infestation and try anything from power-blasting, chemical treatments and scraping to custom-built two-ton screens of solid copper. Yet, Solomon believes LuminOre Copper offers marine protection for the 21st entury.
LuminOre Industrial & Marine specializes in protective applications based on various metals, particularly copper, the most successful natural anti-foulant in maritime history. Ever since the British Admiralty initiated the use of copper sheets nailed to wooden ships starting with the frigate Alarm in 1761, copper metal has protected ships’ hulls from destructive marine-fouling. But, unlike the days of old when ships’ hulls were nail-clad with copper sheeting, LuminOre Copper can be directly applied in an cold-sprayable application for underwater structures or ships’ hulls. Plus, LuminOre Marine Copper can be used on fiberglass and wood as well as steel and aluminum because there is no galvanic reaction.
“We’re extremely excited to share this new video with American businesses and industry, particularly in the Great Lakes,” says Terry Gould, president of LuminOre Industrial & Marine Coatings Inc., an official licensee of the patented LuminOre® process. “We’re committed to researching copper protection that is more efficient and cost-effective than any other marine applications currently available and — with our cold-sprayable process — we can apply LuminOre Copper to any substrate, in virtually any configuration or design.”
LuminOre Copper is available for marine applications in most all venues around the world, although it has not yet received EPA-approved for distribution in the United States. For more information on LuminOre Industrial & Marine Coatings or LuminOre products, visit www.luminoremarine.comor contact Terry Gould at 805.654.9351.
Located in Ventura, Calif., LuminOre® Industrial & Marine Coatings Inc. is a licensee of LuminOre Inc., specialists in composite metals. LuminOre’s patented, cold-metallizing process seamlessly applies to almost any surface, giving the look of solid metal casting without the weight and expense. In addition, the extremely versatile LuminOre applications provide long-term protection for chemical tanks, potable water storage, industrial facilities and in harsh marine environments. For more information on LuminOre protective coatings and metallic finishes, call Terry Gould at 805.654.9351 or visit www.luminoremarine.com.