Abstract
• Portuguese Ançã limestone bioreceptivity to fungal colonization analysis. • Penicillia growth is favored in copiotrophic environments. • Aspergilli and Aeminium ludgeri growth is only slightly superior in oligotrophic environments. • After one-year incubation period all fungal species produced alterations. • Aspergillus westerdijkiae induced calcium carbonate mineralization. Fungal deteriorative action on historical stone objects often leads to important and incalculable cultural heritage losses. The Ançã stone is a unique limestone type widely used in some of the most important and emblematic Portuguese monuments. Being a soft and porous calcium carbonate limestone, this substrate is known to have a significant bioreceptivity to microbial colonization often resulting in notorious biodeterioration. Nonetheless, fungal bioreceptivity and biodeterioration of this lithotype remains scarcely characterized. With this in mind, the main aims of this work were to evaluate these aspects in a controlled laboratory environment. Inoculation of several fungal species in stone replicas revealed that Penicillia growth occupied larger areas under rich micro-nutrient environments, while Aspergilli and the black fungal species Aeminium ludgeri only denoted a slightly more accentuated growth under depleted nutrient conditions. Moreover, all species produced noticeable aesthetic alterations. In addition, we were able to verify A. ludgeri endolithic growth, Aspergillus glaucus putative hyphae penetration into calcite layers and mineralization phenomena occurring around A. westerdijkiae hyphae. By itself, this study provides a key update regarding fungal biodeterioration of this ancient, emblematic and remarkable limestone.
Published Version
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a call