Plant essential oils in controlling fungal colonization on wooden substrate

Abstract

In order to control fungal colonization and the related deterioration process of cultural objects, several chemical compounds are actually utilised. These products generally are toxic, not biodegradable and persisting for long time in the environment, also acting on not-targeted biological systems. In this study, specifically to wooden cultural object, Origanum vulgare L. and Thymus vulgaris L. essential oils are proposed as green biocides to contrast the development of Penicillium chrysogenum, Aspergillus flavus and Aspergillus niger fungal species. The aim is replacing toxic products with natural molecules, proposing alternative methodologies supporting the using of non-toxic novel compounds safe for humans and environment.