Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Microbial growth and air pollutants in the corrosion of carbonate building stone: results of laboratory and outdoor experimental tests

  • Original Article
  • Published:
Environmental Geology

Abstract

The combined effect of microbial colonization by fungal growth and atmospheric pollutants in the sulfation of carbonate rocks was investigated by means of laboratory experiments of dry deposition of sulfur and nitrogen dioxides, in vitro microbiological assays and outdoor exposure tests. All the experiments were performed on Scaglia limestone, which is a very common building material in ancient monuments in Central Italy. Results point to a combined action of particulate matter deposition and sulfation in the formation of gypsum on the samples exposed outdoor, and to a significant influence of fungal growth in the conversion of metal sulfide particulate matter to sulfate thus promoting subsequent formation of gypsum also in the absence of pollution. The chemical and textural features of stone tend to enhance chemical weathering and fungal colonization in the short term, and to preserve the material in the long term.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Fig. 1
Fig. 2
Fig. 3
Fig. 4
Fig. 5
Fig. 6
Fig. 7
Fig. 8
Fig. 9
Fig. 10
Fig. 11

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • Amoroso GG, Fassina V (1983) Stone decay and conservation. Elsevier, Amsterdam

  • Bamford CH, Tipper CFH (1980) Comprehensive chemical kinetics, vol 22. Elsevier, Amsterdam

  • Bhatia SK, Perlmutter DD (1981) The effect of pore structure on fluid–solid reactions. Application to the SO2-lime reactions. A ICh E J 27:226–234

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Caneva G, Nugari MP, Salvadori O (1994) La biologia nel restauro. Nardini Editore, Firenze

  • Domsch KE, Gams W, Anderson T (1980) Compendium of soil fungi. Academic Press, London

  • Ellis MB (1976) More dematiaceous hyphomycetes. Commun Mycol Inst Kew, Surrey, England

  • Franzini M, Leoni L, Saitta M (1972) A simple method to evaluate the matrix effects in X-ray fluorescence analysis. X-ray Spectrom 1:151–154

  • Furlan V, Girardet F (1992) Pollution atmosphérique et réactivité des pierres. In: Delgado Rodrigues J (ed) Proceedings of the VIIth International Congress on Deterioration and Conservation of Stone, pp 153–161

  • Gertler AW, Miller DF, Lamb D, Katz D (1984) Studies of sulfur dioxide and nitrogen dioxide reactions in haze and cloud. In: Durham JL (ed) Chemistry of particles, fogs, and rain. Acid precipitation series, vol 2. Butterworth, Boston, pp 131–160

  • Gorbushina AA, Krumbein WE, Hamman CH, Panina L, Soukharjevski S, Wollenzien U (1993) Role of black fungi in color change and biodeterioration of antique marbles. Geomicrobiol J 11:205–220

    Google Scholar 

  • Johansson LG, Lindqvist O, Mangio RE (1988) Corrosion of calcareous stones in humid air containing SO2 and NO2. Durabil Build Material 5:439–449

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Kaye MJ (1965) X-ray fluorescent determination of several trace elements in some standard geochemical samples. Geochim Cosmochim Acta 29:139–142

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Krumbein WE, Diakumaku E, Gehrmann C, Gorbushina A, Grore G, Heyn C, Kuroczin J, Schostak V, Sterflinger K, Warscheid T, Wolf B, Wollenzien U, Yun-Kyung Y, Petersen K (1996) Chemiorganotrophic microorganisms as agents in the destruction of objects of art: a summary. In: Riederer J (ed) Proceedings of the VIIIth International Congress on Deterioration and Conservation of Stone, pp 631–636

  • Lutterotti L, Scardi P, Maistrelli P (1992) LS1 – a computer program for simultaneous refinement of material structure and microstructure. J Appl Cryst 25:459–462

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Moroni B (1995) Studio sperimentale dell’interazione tra gas atmosferici e rocce carbonatiche in ambiente inquinato: meccanismi e cinetiche della solfatazione in presenza di SO2 ed NO2 in aria umida. PhD Thesis, University of Perugia

  • Moroni B, Poli G (1996a) Weathering of marble and calcareous breccia in the lateral facade of Foligno cathedral: influence of lithology and role of exposure. In: Riederer J (ed) Proceedings of the VIIIth International Congress on Deterioration and Conservation of Stone, pp 121–133

  • Moroni B, Poli G (1996b) Lithology and weathering of Scaglia limestone. In: Riederer J (ed) Proceedings of the VIIIth International Congress on Deterioration and Conservation of Stone, pp 79–88

  • Moroni B, Poli G (2000) Corrosion of limestone in humid air containing sulphur and nitrogen dioxides: a model study. In: Fassina V (ed) Proceedings of the IXth International Congress on Deterioration and Conservation of Stone, pp 367–373

  • Pitzurra L, Moroni B, Iurlo A, Di Cesare AM, Sbaraglia G, Poli G, Bistoni F (2001) Microbial growth and air pollution in carbonate rock weathering. Preliminary results of an in situ experimental study. Annali di Chimica 91:785–793

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Raccomandazioni NORMAL Doc. 7/81 (1981) Assorbimento d’acqua per immersione totale – capacità di imbibizione. CNR-ICR

  • Rietveld HM (1967) Line profile of neutron powder-diffraction peaks for structure refinement. Acta Cryst 22:151–152

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Rietveld HM (1969) A profile refinement method for nuclear and magnetic structures. J Appl Cryst 2:65–71

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Saiz-Jimenez C (1997) Biodeterioration vs biodegradation: the role of microorganisms in the removal of pollutants deposited onto historic buildings. Int Biodeterior Biodegrad 40:225–232

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Sbaraglia G, Bucci P, Pitzurra L, Miliani C, Favaro G, Bellezza T, Romano R, Spera G, Bistoni F (1997) Microbial growth on the crust of Priori Square fountain (Narni-Italy): chemical and microbiological analysis. Proceedings of the VIIIth Workshop Eurocare Euromarble EU496, CNR-Opere, Roma, pp 119–123

  • Schryer DR, Rogowski RS, Cofer WR (1983) The reaction of nitrogen oxides with SO2 in aqueous aerosols. Atmos Environ 17:666

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Spiker EC, Comer VJ, Hosker RP, Sherwood SI (1992) Dry deposition of SO2 on limestone and marble: role of humidity. In: Delgado Rodrigues J (ed) Proceedings of the VIIth International Congress on Deterioration and Conservation of Stone, pp 397–406

  • Sterflinger K (2000) Fungi as geologic agents. Geomicrobiol J 17:97–124

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Wainwright M, Grayston SJ (1989) Accumulation and oxidation of metal sulphides by fungi. In: Metal–microbe interaction. Society for General Microbiology, vol 26. IRL Press, Oxford, pp 119–131

  • Wolf B, Krumbein WE (1996) Microbial colonization on the surface and at the depth of marble elements of the Freundschaftstempel at Sanssouci (Potsdam). In: Riederer J (ed) Proceedings of the VIIIth International Congress on Deterioration and Conservation of Stone, pp 637–643

  • Wollenzien U, de Hoog GS, Krumbein WE, Urzì C (1995) On the isolation of microcolonial fungi occurring on and in marble and other calcareous rocks. Sci Tot Environ 167:287–294

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

Download references

Acknowledgements

The authors wish to thank C. Miliani for analyses by liquid chromatography, M. Pompei and M. Areni of ARPA for their kind assistance in the management of experiments at the air-monitoring stations in Perugia and for supplying data on environmental parameters. Grants were given by CNR Progetto Finalizzato Beni Culturali and by Centro di Eccellenza per le Metodologie Scientifiche Innovative Applicate alla Ricerca Archeologica e Storico-Artistica, University of Perugia.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Earth Sciences, Department of Experimental and Biochemical Sciences, University of Perugia, Italy

    B. Moroni, L. Pitzurra & G. Poli

Authors
  1. B. Moroni
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. L. Pitzurra
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. G. Poli
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to G. Poli.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Moroni, B., Pitzurra, L. & Poli, G. Microbial growth and air pollutants in the corrosion of carbonate building stone: results of laboratory and outdoor experimental tests. Env Geol 46, 436–447 (2004). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00254-004-1045-9

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00254-004-1045-9

Keywords

Search

Navigation