Role of fungi in biodeterioration process of stone in historic buildings

Abstract

Fungal ability in production of pigments and organic acids have crucial role in discoloration and degradation of different types of stone in cultural heritage objects. Additionally, stone objects may support novel communities of microorganisms that are active in biodeterioration process. This investigation focuses on mycological analyses of microbial biofilm from two important buildings, made of granite and sandstone, and which were heavily colonized by fungi. The 23 fungal taxa including filamentous microfungi and yeasts with specific distribution on sandstone and granite substrate were isolated. Melanized fungi from Dematiaceae (Deuteromycotina) were dominant. The identified microfungi cause discoloration, as well as mechanical exfoliation of building stone material that was analyzed through mechanical hyphae penetration and production of dark pigments and organic acids.