Influence of TiO2 Nanoparticles on the Resistance of Cementitious Composite Materials to the Action of Fungal Species.

Andreea Hegyi,Adrian-Victor Lăzărescu,Henriette Szilagyi,Elvira Grebenişan,Vlad Stoian

doi:10.3390/ma14164442

Abstract

The development of mold films on the cement surfaces of buildings is a health and safety problem for the population, aesthetic but also in terms of their durability. The use of specific performance of cementitious composites containing TiO2 nanoparticles, photoactivated by UV radiation, can be a viable solution to mitigate to eliminate these problems. The experimental studies presented aim to analyze the capacity to inhibit the development of mold type Aspergillus and Penicillium on the surface of composite materials with nano-TiO2 content and the identification of the optimal range of nanomaterial addition. The identification and analysis of the inhibition halo (zone with a biological load of maximum 1–10 colonies of microorganisms) confirmed the biocidal capacity of the cementitious composites, but also indicated the possibility that an excess of TiO2 nanoparticles in the mixture could induce a development of cell resistance, which would be unfavorable both in terms of behavior and in terms of cost.

Highlights

Worldwide, there is a change in the lifestyle of the population, with many of the daily activities moving from outside to inside [1]
The most common mycotoxins whose presence has been identified in indoor air and in the body of the population that stayed in the contaminated environment are Ochratoxin (OCT), aflatoxin B1, Trichothecene [8,9,10,11,12,13,14]
The aim of this work was to analyze the mold inhibition capacity presented by cementitious composites based on white Portland cement with the addition of nano–TiO2 and to identify the concentration range of nanoparticles, in relation to the amount of cement, which provides an effective effect from the point of view of biological resistance

Summary

Introduction

There is a change in the lifestyle of the population, with many of the daily activities moving from outside to inside [1]. At the same time, there are negative effects on the health of the built environment, since, in addition to an unpleasant appearance that induces cleaning costs and preservation of aesthetic value, there are costs for maintenance and repairs necessary with greater frequency, as a result of favoring the development of biological corrosion, initially at the surface and subsequently penetrating deeper into the constructed element [17,18,19] All these costs are both financial (labor, materials, interruption of construction during repairs, etc.) and environmental impact costs (air pollution–greenhouse gases, dust, volatile organic products–VOCs; water and soil pollution–wastewater, solid waste, noise pollution and consumption of raw materials and energy needed to manufacture other building materials to replace those affected)

Objectives

Methods

Conclusion