Prof. Beata Gutarowska, Ph.D, D.Sc.
Lodz University of Technology
Faculty of Biotechnology and Food Sciences, Department of Environmental Biotechnology
Prof. Beata Gutarowska is the Head of the Department of Environmental Biotechnology at the Lodz University of Technology and a member of the Board of Directors of the Biodeterioration and Biodegradation Society. Her research deals with environmental microbiology, biodeterioration, and disinfection of technical materials, e.g., construction products, biopreparations for agricultural and environmental applications, mycotoxins, allergens, organic acids, and enzymes produced by molds. Her achievements include nine monographs and 230 articles published in scientific journals. She has directed 13 projects funded by international and national foundations. She has co-authored 16 national patents and five medals at international innovation exhibitions. Prof. Gutarowska has organized eleven international conferences on the biodeterioration of technical materials and their protection. She has promoted six doctoral students, and two dissertations are in progress.
“Test methodology for resistance of ETICS components to fungal and algal growth”
The role of microorganisms, mainly algae and fungi, in the deterioration of building materials is a common problem prompting building material manufacturers to seek innovative solutions to prevent biodeterioration. Unfortunately, there is a lack of testing methods to assess the durability of building materials so that the manufacturer can provide an adequate product guarantee. This research aims to develop a universal, reliable, and reproducible method for evaluating fungal and algal growth on the surface of ETICS protected with protective agents, which would allow for determining the time of resistance to algal and fungal growth. The talk will present the results of tests on mineral and silicone render samples using culture, spectrophotometric, ATP, and chlorophyll measurement methods. The author will show the concept of methods for determining the resistance time of building materials to overgrowth by fungi and algae and its verification against real-life conditions.