FTIR Spectroscopy for Identification and Intra-Species Characterization of Serpula lacrymans

International audienceThis article is an open access article distributed under the terms and conditions of the Creative Commons Attribution (CC B

An overview of techniques for the characterization and quantification of microbial colonization on stone monuments

International audienceBiodeterioration can be defined as any undesired change of the properties of a material having an economic, historical or artistic value caused by biological activity of living organisms. The biodeterioration of stone materials is related to the production of pigments (aesthetic action), to cell metabolism (biochemical action) and to the mechanical action of the biomass colonizing the material during its growth (physical action). Quantification of the sessile biomass and characterization of microbial communities colonizing stone are essential first steps to ensure the diagnosis of biodeterioration processes and to implement control strategies and appropriate treatment. Different destructive and non-destructive approaches can be used to sample stone specimens to study microbial colonization and biodeterioration of monuments: scraping, swab using, and cutting. Different methods can be used depending on the type of microorganism sought: determination of chlorophyll content and colour measurements for pigmented microorganisms; bacterial quantification by confocal laser scanning microscopy observations after CTC staining for active biomass; classical microbiological methods, which consist in cultivation of microorganisms on synthetic media. Molecular methods for the study of microbial biodiversity based on the polymorphism of molecular markers are now widely used in many areas, but little bibliographic data exist regarding the application of these methods to the analysis of microbial flora responsible for colonization and deterioration of building stone. The aim of this review is to present the different biodeterioration mechanisms with a particular focus on the techniques that can be used to characterize and quantify the biodeterioration biomass

Étude de la dynamique de colonisation microbienne de produits de construction

Plus d’un tiers du parc immobilier français est contaminé par des moisissures [

Characterization of the archaeal and fungal diversity associated with gypsum efflorescences on the walls of the decorated Sorcerer’s prehistoric cave

International audienc

Bleaching of biofilm-forming algae induced by UV-C treatment: a preliminary study on chlorophyll degradation and its optimization for an application on cultural heritage

International audienc

UV-C as an Efficient Means to Combat Biofilm Formation in Cultural Heritage Monument. Biodiversity and Impact on Prehistoric Pigments?

International audienc

Comparison of biocides, allelopathic substances and UV-C as treatments for biofilm proliferation on heritage monuments

International audienc

Cellular and molecular damage caused by high UV-C irradiation of the cave-harvested green alga Chlorella minutissima: Implications for cave management

International audienceAlgal biofilms in caves visited by tourists are a significant threat to karstic formations. They cause a dirty greenish appearance on cave formations and provoke biophysical and biochemical erosion. Seeking an alternative to the use of chemicals, we investigated the effects of high doses of UV-C irradiation on the green algae Chlorella minutissima-dominating biofilms in the Moidons Cave (Jura, France). The algae were harvested and subjected to laboratory subculturing under conditions similar to the conditions in the cave (low temperatures and a short photoperiod with weak light intensities). After one or two doses of UV-C of 150 or 300 kJ m−2, the samples were incubated for 21 days, and the physiological parameters (pigment concentrations and photosynthetic activity) were monitored every seven days. Hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) and malondialdehyde (MDA) concentrations were also measured to detect oxidative stress, and analyses of DNA integrity were performed. The results showed that all UV-C treatments caused chlorophyll bleaching with completely inhibited metabolic activity. In addition, high UV-C doses caused oxidative stress and programmed cell death. Irradiation was tested on a natural biofilm that proliferated in the Moidons Cave. Colorimetric measurements of the treated biofilm indicated that UV-C treatment caused significant chlorophyll bleaching