ABSTRACT
A biocidal treatment was developed using silver nanoparticles which were stabilized with tetraorthosilicate (TEOS). The composite material was tested as inhibitor of biofilm growth on limestones. Samples were subjected to artificially accelerated weathering conditions for 60 days. The chromatic change (ΔE*) of the stone surfaces were measured. Moreover, a complementary method was designed, that allows the quantification of the biofilm growth, using multi-spectral images at different wavelengths. In particular, segmentation of homogeneous regions (biofilm and stone) was carried out, to quantify the surface area which was affected and altered.
The capability of the devised method to study the effectiveness of biocidal treatment was assessed.
