Antimicrobial and photocatalytic activity of exterior facade paints: In situ monitoring

Abstract

The facades and exterior facade paints are very sophisticated building materials
One of the main causes of their deterioration is the growth of microorganisms that
strongly affect the physico-mechanical properties and present a serious aesthetic
problem.
The aim of this work was the development of in-situ monitoring method of
photocatalytic activity and the antimicrobial efficiency assessment in real
environmental conditions. For this purpose, a special experimental wall was built
with standard building materials (bricks, stones) Its exterior facade was covered
with a commercial type of facade paint. The whole facade was divided in eighth
areas and coated with biocides or with newly developed photocatalytic active
material based on LDH/TiO2. The microorganisms, isolated from the contaminated
facade paints from the vicinity of the newly constructed wall, were applied as
contaminates. Diffuse Reflectance Infrared Fourier Transform Spectroscopy
(DRIFTS) was used, monthly, for in-situ monitoring of the microbial growth. The
gained results show that the proposed monitoring method of antimicrobial activity
assessment is fast and can be used as a reliable method.