Nanotechnology comes to the rescue of mouldy wood

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Nanotechnology comes to the rescue of mouldy wood

[Date: 2007-02-21]

Nanotechnology and Development News - Washington,DC,

http://cordis.europa.eu/fetch?

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A new nano device, capable of immediately detecting fungus that

attacks wood, has been developed by a team of Polish scientists.

Aspergillus versicolor is very a common mould that is an indicator

of moisture problems in wood and other building materials. The

fungus is known to produce carcinogenic toxins and cause eye, nose

and throat irritation.

'Until now, the attack of the fungus on wood was only visible when

it was so advanced, that the results were visible to the bare eye,'

said Jerzy Langer of the Laboratory for Materials Physico-chemistry

and Nanotechnology in Poznan, Poland, who runs the research

programme. Before, detecting the presence of the fungus early on

required taking samples to the laboratory for analysis under the

microscope.

With the fungus nanodetector, the days of sampling are over. The

aspergillus versicolor is detected using nanofibres, whose physico-

chemical properties change in the presence of the fungus and spark

an electrical signal. 'Our method of checking fungus presence on

wooden surfaces is entirely non-invasive, which means it can be used

in analysing valuable wooden objects,' said Professor Langer.

Thanks to its compact design, the device can be used anywhere. 'This

device should be a vital piece of equipment for historical

conservators, as well as for people interested in renovating,

building or buying a house or flat, as this enables detecting

fungus, which is often harmful to its residents, even in new

construction elements,' explained Professor Langer.

Category: Miscellaneous

Data Source Provider: Polish Press Agency (PAP)

Document Reference: Based on information from PAP

Subject Index: Medicine, Health; Safety; Scientific Research; Social

Aspects