| International Journal of Current Microbiology and Applied Sciences |
| ISSN: 2319-7706 Volume 2 Number 10 (2013) pp. 99-105 |
| Screening and indexing of dominance of fungal flora on sandstones with special reference to historical monuments |
| Sanjay Prasad Gupta1*, G. K. Chandrol2 , and D. N. Sharma3 |
| 1Archaeological Survey of India, Raipur Circle, Raipur, Chhattisgarh, India 2-3Kalyan Post Graduate College, Bhilainagar (Durg), Chhattisgarh, India |
| ABSTRACT |
| Stone cultural heritage materials are at risk of bio-deterioration caused by diverse populations of micro-organisms living in bio-films. The microbial metabolites of these bio-films are responsible for the deterioration of the underlying substratum and may lead to physical weakening and discoloration of stone. 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 microorganism that are active in bio-deterioration process. This investigation is focused on mycological analyses of microbial bio-films from various stone structures of an archaeological monument namely Mahadev temple of Chhattisgarh, India. These structures are made of sand stone and are heavily colonized by fungi. The five fungal species have been isolated which have dominance over stone structures of the monument. Aspergillus sp. was common in stone structures of this monument. The identified micro- organisms cause discoloration as well as mechanical exfoliation of building stone material that was analyzed through mechanical hyphae penetration and production of dark pigments as well as organic acids. |
| Keywords |
| Bio- deterioration; micro- organisms; bio-films; pollutants; microbial metabolites; pigments,;cult ural heritage. |