Interaction of Chrysosporium merdarium with titanium oxide surface

The growth of Chrysosporium merdarium on TiO2 (rutile, anatase) and its possibility to deteriorate the surface were investigated. Treated with fungi and untreated samples of deteriorated TiO2 surfaces were studied by scanning electron microscopy (SEM), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) and atomic force microscopy (AFM). Microbial deterioration of TiO2 is also discussed. The attachment to the TiO2 surface via metabolic products resulted in the formation of cryptand [2,2,2] complex with Ca2+ ions. According to water contact angle (CA) measurements microbial growth increases the wettability of TiO2 film surfaces. A much more intensive fungal action during microbial treatment on rutile in comparison with that of anatase was observed. A chemical deterioration product, the volatile trimethyl borate, on rutile in exudation of C. merdarium was detected by gas chromatographic–mass spectrometric analysis.