A method of making a surface-active glass as regenerative anti-fouling material comprising mixing Na2O and B2O3, creating a surface-active glass with a water-soluble glass matrix, wherein the surface-active glass comprises a sodium borate glass consisting of 25 mol % Na2O and 75 mol % B2O3 or wherein the surface-active glass comprises a sodium aluminoborate glass consisting of 10-30 mol % Al2O3, 10-30 mol % Na2O and 70-40 mol % B2O3.