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Fungal Colonization In The Paint Interfaces Of

A Building Faade
MA Shirakawa1 CC Gaylarde2 P Gaylarde2 W Gambale3 V M John1
1
Civil Construction Escola Politcnica Universidade de So Paulo Brazil
2
Biophysics Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul Porto Alegre Brazil
3
Instituto de Cincias Biomdicas Universidade de So Paulo Brazil
Summary: The discoloration of painted faades is caused by a wide range of microorganisms,
including phototrophs and fungi. The durability of paint films is affected by microbial growth and
fungi are deemed to be especially important. In Brazil, the estimated cost of painting buildings is
approximately 4% of the overall building cost, and it is necessary to re-paint approximately every 2
to 5 years, depending on other building characteristics. Biocides (chiefly algicides and fungicides)
are usually included in paint formulations in an attempt to extend the period between repainting
and the efficacy of these additives is tested in artificial conditions, in the laboratory. This study was
carried out using modern surface analysis and traditional mycological techniques, in order to
understand the fungal colonization of paint under real exposure conditions on a building newly
painted with an acrylic paint with and without a biocide formulation. Observations with the low
vacuum scanning electron microscope indicated that fungi can grow not only on the exposed
surface, but also in the layers between old and new paint, and between the rendering mortar and
paint layer. The latter surface was the most colonized interface on the faade of the building
(constructed with aerated concrete blocks rendered with mortar). Cracks in the mortar rendering
favored fungal growth on paint in this area. The exposed surface showed evident discoloration after
11 months of exposure. The fungal numbers on the painted surface decreased in the summer
months, probably because of the intense solar radiation.
Keywords: discoloration, painted surfaces, Fungal Colonization
1

INTRODUCTION

The development of discoloration on painted surfaces is a very common phenomenon in Brazil and in other countries.
Sometimes this type of discoloration has been considered as fouling without any biological correlation, but it has been shown
that it can be produced by different types of microorganisms (GARG et al, 1995; GAYLARDE & MORTON, 1999;
KARPOVICH-TATE, 1990), among them autotrophic bacteria (those that do not need organic compounds as carbon source),
heterotrophic bacteria (which need organic compounds as carbon source), cyanobacteria and algae (which use CO2 as carbon
source and light as energy source) and filamentous fungi (heterotrophic organisms composed of hyphae and reproductive
structures, spores).
In order to reduce microbial colonization, the paint industries add biocides to the formulation (BESSEMS, 1996; BOGACKA,
1995; GAYLARDE, 1995; KAUFERS, 1995; MURRAY-SMITH, 1996).
The durability of paint films is affected by microbial growth and fungi are deemed to be especially important. In Brazil, the
estimated cost of painting buildings is approximately 4% of the overall building cost, and it is necessary to re-paint
approximately every 2 to 5 years, depending on other building characteristics. Biocides (chiefly algicides and fungicides) are
usually included in paint formulations in an attempt to extend the period between repainting and the efficacy of these additives
is tested in artificial conditions, in the laboratory. The mechanisms of deterioration include mechanical rupture, the production
of metabolites, chiefly complex organic acids, and enzymatic activity. Water based paint is especially susceptible to fungi
because of the cellulose added to maintain the liquid paint thickness (GILLATT & TRACEY, 1987).
We studied the sequence of fungal colonization on a newly painted building from the first week after application until one year
of exposure, using modern techniques of surface analysis to try to understand the interaction between fungi and paint under
real exposure conditions.

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MATERIALS AND METHODS

2.1
Paint and biocide
An acrylic water paint with approximately 50% solids, with and without 0.25% biocide formulation (12% carbamate, 25%
dimethyl urea and 4% isothiazolones) was used.

2.2

Selection and treatment of building faade and sample collection for isolation of microorganisms
A building about twenty years old, constructed with aerated concrete blocks rendered with mortar and painted, one year
previously, with an acrylic paint was treated with approx. 2% hypochlorite for 15 minutes and then washed with a high
pressure (11 MPa) water jet. After one week to allow thorough drying, the faade was painted with the selected paint in
vertical strips, alternating paint with and without biocide. Four samples were taken from biocide-containing and 4 from non
biocide-containing sites on this building at intervals (see results). Sampling was carried out by the carpet replica technique for
fungi (SHIRAKAWA et al., 1998).
Samples for mycological analysis were cultured on Sabouraud dextrose agar and identified by cell and colony morphology
(Barron, 1971; Ellis, 1993; McGinnis, 1980).
2.3
Paint sampling and surface analysis
Pieces of paint were collected using a chisel disinfected with alcohol and placed in sterile Petri dishes. For scanning electron
microscopy under low vacuum (LEO 435 VP) and for confocal scanning laser microcopy (LSM 410 Zeiss with lasers 488
and 543, read in reflected mode), samples were examined directly without any treatment. For Scanning Electron Microscopy
samples were coated with gold (Balzers SCD 050) and viewed in a Stereoscan 440 (Leika, Cambridge) after drying at 37oC for
48 hours.

3
3.1

RESULTS
Microorganisms

3.2
Fungi
The most frequent genus found over the whole year was Cladosporium, followed by the genera Alternaria, Epicoccum,
Monascus, Curvularia, Nigrospora and Pestalotia. Other genera, Aspergillus, Arthrinium, Chaetomium, Didimostilbe,
Fusarium, Monilia, Penicillium, Pleospora, Phoma, Pithomyces, Trichoderma, Trichotecium and Ulocladium, appeared in
minor frequency.
Members of the artificial Order Mycelia sterilia, fungi that do not produce spores, were found at a high frequency throughout
the year.
Aureobasidium showed an interesting behavior. This genus was found in the first four weeks (July and August of 2000),
disappearing in the samples collected over September to April 2001, and appearing again in samples collected in May 2001. In
July, one year after painting, this genus was found in high numbers of colony forming units, and dark discoloration was
observed on the painted surface. This building faade received intense solar irradiation during the Summer (December to
March), with air temperatures of 30 to 35oC during the day. In the literature Aureobasidium sp is considered the most
aggressive fungus for paint and so its behavior is of obvious interest. Our results suggest that it is susceptible to UV and high
temperatures.
3.3

Microscopical observations

3.4
Scanning electron microscopy
Samples of paint collected after 7 months of exposure showed that fungal colonization was chiefly located in regions where
cracks were apparent. Figure 1 shows that in regions 1 cm from the crack, no fungal growth is evident, while directly over the
cracked areas fungal growth can be clearly observed (Figure 2). The cracks in the paint were localized above fissures in the
underlying the mortar. In addition, fungal growth itself seems to break up the paint film as observed in Figure 3.
Figure 4 (7 months of exposure) shows that fungi grow in the region with biocides, between the old and new paint layers,
colonizing preferentially the old paint. Fungal growth and intense spore production is also observed at the interface between
the old paint and the rendering mortar after this period of exposure (Figure 5); this colonization probably occurred before
repainting. After 11 months of exposition fungi could be seen growing on the new paint with biocides in contact with old one
(Figure 6).

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3.5
Scanning laser confocal microcopy
Scanning laser confocal microscopy observation showed that fungi grow at different planes in the paint. Figure 7, a sample
collected after 7 months of exposure, shows the interface between old paint and rendering mortar. Fungal hyphae are detected
at 0 to 34.5 m depth of confocal the plane, and are especially prevalent around 17m. Together with quantitative culture data,
results after the summer period the number of colony forming units increased greatly (Table 1), suggesting a re-growth, rather
than merely a re-colonization from outside.

FINAL CONSIDERATIONS

These results show that fungal growth may be detected both at the interface between the old paint surface and the new paint
layer and at the interface between the mortar and the paint. This shows that mortar may act as a reservoir for paint
recolonization and that a combination of hypochlorite and high-pressure jet cleaning leaves a residue of viable fungal
propagules. These sources of infection, together with air-borne propagules are important in the subsequent biodegradation of
paint. Persistent propagules in the protected interfaces between old and new paint and under old paint, in contact with mortar
or other substrates cause loss of adherence leading to spalling. Clearly preparation of surfaces prior to painting is of crucial
importance in determining durability of new paint surfaces. This has long been recognized, but few studies have been directed
to observing this aspect of paint durability. Indeed, we are not aware of any quantitative data published in the literature.
Aureobasidium sp showed a special behavior, being isolated from the surface in the first month of exposure and reappearing
just after the end of the summer. This genus has been shown to be a primary colonizer also of leaves in both temperate and
tropical climates; in both situations it disappears from the surfaces after the first month, reappearing 4-8 months later (LACEY,
1979).
The interactions between new and old paint layers, and between paint and mortar renderings, are important factors in
determining fungal colonization. When applied to a porous mortar, the paint film could have pore size of 3 to 10 m and some
bigger. These pores, if they are interconnected, could allow fungal growth to spread readily through the paint film. This growth
could be stimulated or inhibited by a range of factors. For example solar irradiation could induce the fungi to grow inwards and
inhibit growth towards the outer surface. Although Cladosporium sp was the most frequent genus found throughout the year
on this newly painted surface, tropical and semi-tropical environments, as found in So Paulo, where the study was carried out,
favor growth of many types of fungi, including Nigrospora sp., Curvularia sp. and Pestalotia sp. These should be considered
for use in accelerated laboratory tests. Although after one year of exposure there still is a difference between the number of
colony forming unit in regions with and without biocide, this difference has become non-significant and discoloration can be
also observed by eye in painted regions containing biocide. Another building, with different substrate, painted with the same
paint at the same time, has continuously showed less fungal colonization than that described above, even though the
surrounding environment, much more wooded, is apparently more favorable to microbial growth. This is probably due to the
influence of the substrate. It is intended to extend the study by exposing two different substrates painted with the same paint in
three different climatic regions of Brazil.
Table 1 Counting of Colony Forming Unit of fungi after different intervals of exposure

Week
1
2
3
4
9
13
18
22
26
31
35
42
56

Without biocide (B-)

0, 1, 4, 5
3, 4, 4, 7
12, 14, 16, 20
11, 13, 20, 25
11, 34, 41, 72
12, 16, 19, 23
17, 12, 17, 8
19, 37,19, 19
24, 28, 21, 33
42, 23, 10, 15
24, 16, 11, 11
84, 48, 34, 51
153, 56, 228, 47

With biocide (B+)

4, 4, 4, 5
4, 5, 6, 8
4, 9, 10, 12
6, 9, 10, 15
6, 10, 15, 26
5, 11, 12, 13
9, 9, 13, 7
28,20,16,32
15, 20, 24,33
22, 22, 20, 18
10, 14, 12, 21
32, 44, 48, 9
88, 59, 63, 121

Odds ratio (B+ < B-)

1:3.12
1:4.83
68.9:1
16.5:1
16.5:1
34.0:1
4.83:1
1:1.26
3.12:1
1:1
1.26:1
16.51:1
1:1

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Figure 1 Low vacuum Scanning Electron Microscopy of samples collected from the
faade painted with non-biocide-containing paint 1 cm from a crack over a fissure in the
mortar. 7 months of exposure

Figure 2 - Low vacuum Scanning Electron Microscopy of samples collected from the faade painted with non-biocidecontaining paint directly over the fissure in the mortar. 7 months of exposure

Figure 3 Scanning Electron Microscopy of samples collected from the faade painted with non-biocide-containing
paint directly over the crack. In the area with fungal growth hyphae can be seen rupturing the paint film

Figure 4 - Scanning Electron Microscopy of samples collected from the faade. This image shows the old paint in
contact with new paint in a biocide-containing region. 7 months of exposure

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Figure 5 - Scanning Electron Microscopy of samples collected from the faade. Region of old paint in contact with
rendering mortar

Figure 6 - Scanning Electron Microscopy of samples collected from a biocide region of the faade after 11 months of
exposure. Fungal growth is seen on the new paint film at the interface with the old paint

Figure 7 Scanning Confocal Laser Microscopy of sample collected after 7 months of exposure. Old paint in contact
with mortar in region with fissure. Hyphae are seen not only on the surface in contact with mortar, but predominantly
17 micrometers of the confocal plane

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ACKNOWLEGMENTS

The authors thank FA PESP Fundao de Amparo Pesquisa do Estado de So Paulo for sponsoring this research and for
grant to the first author. The Laboratory of Pathology, Fundao Oswaldo Cruz, in Rio de Janeiro, especially Dr Henrique
Lenzi, is thanked for their collaboration and Dr Kai Loh Uemoto for the comments in previous report. We also thank JF
Pinturas for washing and painting the faade and Thierry Faria Lima, Simone Citadini Alevato and Edson Yoshio Aihara for
all their technical support.

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