Biosusceptibility of historical bricks from the Bač fortress: Part I

Abstract

The significance of the conservation of cultural heritage objects has led to a greater interest in the appearance of biocorrosion. The aim of this paper is to point out the correlation between the growth of fungi isolated from the fortress of Bač and the contact angle value of the bricks from the fortress in order to determine the brick susceptibility to biodegradation. Three types of bricks (red, yellow and roan) and three isolates of Penicillium spp., as well as one isolate of Cladosporium sp., were used during the experiments. A suspension of fungi in soil extract solution was inflicted on the surface of the bricks and then the samples were incubated. The study showed that the red bricks with cut surface and the roan bricks with broken surface are the most susceptible to the biocorrosion process. Based on the obtained results, Cladosporium sp. can be considered as the most important biodeteriogenic factor on the bricks built in the walls of the Bač fortress.