Laboratory development of subaerial biofilms commonly found on buildings. A methodological review

Abstract

Study of the biodeterioration of building materials is often hampered by the inaccessibility of the colonization and impossibility of sampling in protected buildings considered part of the cultural heritage. There is therefore a recognised need to develop a laboratory mesocosm that realistically represents nature and enables the study and analysis of both the substrate and the organisms involved. Although many studies have investigated the formation of biofilms on various building materials, there is a lack of homogeneity and consensus in the methods and protocols used, which hampers comparison of the results obtained. This review aims to identify the different methods reported in the scientific literature, to organise these according to different factors (water access and types of organism and substrata used) and thus provide the research community with a guide for selecting the most appropriate methods according to the different objectives. • Subaerial biofilm formation methods are divided into dynamic or static, based on water supply. • Biofilm location in a building determines the methodology to be used in laboratory. • The most used conditions for biofilm development are 20–24 °C and 90% of RH for 12 weeks.