# From Biodeterioration to Creativity: Bioreceptivity of Spruce Pine 87 Glass Batch by Fungi
###### Abstract  
The bioreceptivity, and the consequent biodeterioration of contemporary glass, used by artists worldwide, was studied. The two main objectives were: first, to verify if fungi with some culture media would produce more damages than the same fungi without a nutritional source, and to verify if the two genera of fungi produce the same damage on the same glass. Colourless glass samples with Spruce Pine 87 Batch (SPB-87) composition were inoculated with two distinct fungal species, _Penicillium chrysogenum_ and _Aspergillus niger_, separately: _(i)_ half with fungal spores (simulating primary bioreceptivity), and _(ii)_ half with fungi in a small portion of culture media (simulating organic matter that can be deposited on exposed glassworks, i.e., secondary bioreceptivity). The alteration of glass surfaces were analysed by Optical Microscopy, SEM-EDS and \(\upmu\)-Raman. The mycelium of _Penicillium chrysogenum_ generated a higher amount of fingerprints, stains and inflorescence, whereas _Aspergillus niger_ produced more biopiting and crystals on the glass surface. However, both species damaged the glass to different degrees in 4 and 6 months after the inoculation, producing physico-chemical damage (e.g., iridescence, biopitting), and chemical alterations (e.g., depletion and deposition of elements and crystals). The primary bioreceptivity experiment of glass samples inoculated with _Aspergillus niger_ results in less damage than in the case of secondary bioreceptivity, being almost similar for _Penicillium chrysogenum_. The new and in-depth understanding of the bioreceptivity and deterioration of post-modern glass art and cultural heritage provided here is of paramount importance for the scientific, conservation and artistic communities--to protect glass cultural materials, or seen by artists as innovative and inspirational ways of creating glass art in the future. bioreceptivity; biodeterioration; fungi; _Aspergillus niger_; _Penicillium chrysogenum_; 30425200125767  
began and spread to the rest of the world. The SPB-87 glass was, and still is, acquired by glass artists with works indoors (e.g., galleries) and outdoors all over the world. Regardless of their location, all these glassworks are subject to physical, chemical, and biological factors. Concerning the latter, the principal biological agents causing glass biodeterioration are known to be microorganisms, bacteria and fungi being the ones most commonly found on glass [1]. In 1995, [PERSON] introduced the term bioreceptivity, as 'the ability of a material to be colonised by one or several groups of organisms' [2]. The same author also defines the terms primary and secondary bioreceptivity. The '_Primary Bioreceptivity_'refers to the susceptibility of the material to be colonised by organisms reliant of its initial state properties. The characteristics of the material can evolve over time under the action of other colonising organisms, dust, or other factors, resulting in a new type of bioreceptivity, called '_Secondary Bioreceptivity_' [2]. There are many studies reporting that fungi are able to colonise different types of glass, as well as on glass biodeterioration by fungi, demonstrating that these microorganisms can be responsible for irreversible damages (e.g., [PERSON] et al. [3], [PERSON] et al. [4], [PERSON] and [PERSON] [5], [PERSON] and [PERSON] [6], [PERSON] et al. [7], [PERSON] and [PERSON] [8]). Nevertheless, studies on the bioreceptivity of glass surfaces are scant, despite the fact that the biodeterioration effects in these materials are a consequence of their bioreceptivity. Two types of fungi over glass are reported in the literature: those identified on the surface but with no information regarding their potential for glass biodeterioration, and those causing damage to glass surfaces [1; 9]. Through the most recent literature reviews (see [PERSON] et al. [1], [PERSON] et al. [9]), the genera _Aspergillus_ sp., _Penicillium_ sp. and _Cladosporium_ sp. are presented as those more commonly found on glass.