Antifungal activity of newly synthesized submicrometer particles of the CsTeMoO6 complex metal oxide was studied. They were found to inhibit spore germination of active micromycete degraders of industrial materials both in the dark and under illumination. Illumination increased the fungicidal activity of the studied compounds due to their photocatalytic activity. This is the first report on production of micromycete-resistant composites of a number of polymers containing the complex metal oxides CsTeMoO6 and RbTe1.5W0.5O6. Upon addition of the studied complex oxides into the composition of the previously micromycete-sensitive materials, the latter were found to exhibit micromycete resistance both in the dark and under illumination. Treatment with light resulted in a more pronounced antifungal effect.

The submicron particles effect of heavy metal oxides WO3, CsTeMoO6 и RbTe1.5W0.5O6 with photocatalytic activity on the content of hydrogen peroxide and the activity of extracellular oxidoreductases (catalase, peroxidase) in the cultivation medium of the Aspergillus niger and Penicillium chrysogenum fungi was studied. Addition of the studied compounds to the cultivation medium reduced the H2O2 content for both fungi. An ambiguous effect of the studied compounds on the activity of extracellular catalase and peroxidase was noted. In most cases, these compounds caused an increase in the activity of the studied enzymes both under light and in the dark. A significant decrease in activity was shown only for exocatalases of both fungi under the influence of WO3 and under the influence of CsTeMoO6 in P. chrysogenum.

Among biocidal preparations, substances based on metal oxides (ZnO, TiO2, CuO, etc.) are widely used. These compounds are capable of suppressing the vital activity of bacteria, fungi, algae and are used in medicine, veterinary medicine, agriculture, as well as protecting industrial materials from bio-damage and biofouling

The effects of a low-frequency pulsed magnetic field (1.5 Hz) and low-intensity laser radiation (0.3 and 0.7 W) on the activity of intracellular oxidoreductases of micromycetes, Penicillium cyclopium, Aspergillus niger, and Alternaria alternata, which are active agents of biodegradation of industrial materials, were studied. The studied physical factors had dose-dependent effects on the activity of fungal intracellular oxidoreductases (catalase and peroxidase); both an increase and a decrease in enzyme activity were observed. An increase in the activity of enzymes can contribute to the manifestation of the adaptive properties of fungi to the action of such physical factors as low-intensity laser radiation and magnetic field. A decrease in the activity of intracellular catalase and peroxidase under the action of these factors may inhibit the vital activity of microorganisms.

Activity of extracellular enzymes was assessed in 20 strains of microscopic fungi involved in biodegradation of technical objects exploited under tropical climate conditions (Vietnam). It was found that 19 strains possessed catalase activity, 18 strains had phenol oxidase activity, and eight strains had protease activity. The effect of industrial biocides on the activity of these enzymes was also assessed. The biocides Bior-1, Bioneutral A 10, and Bioneutral A 101 were shown to inhibit the enzymatic activity to various extent. All biocides inhibited extracellular catalase activity in most fungal strains studied. The inhibition of protease and phenol oxidase activity of same test strains was less pronounced. The response to biocides varied at the strain level; its characteristics could differ significantly even between strains of the same species. In several cases, it was observed that exposure to biocides resulted in an increase in enzyme activity.

The antifungal activity of fine submicron-size particles of WO3 and RbTe1.5W0.5O6 against the spores and vegetative mycelium of Aspergillus niger and Penicillium chrysogenum fungi is studied. It is found that the studied compounds WO3 and RbTe1.5W0.5O6 caused a decrease in the survival rate of microorganisms in the dark. Antifungal activity increased against both the spores and vegetative mycelium of fungi under light exposure with a power of 30 and 50 W with a radiation-flux density of 325.5 and 524 W/m(2), respectively, which indicates their photocatalytic activity. It is noted that the antifungal activity of RbTe1.5W0.5O6 both under light and dark conditions on the spores and vegetative mycelium of fungi is higher compared to WO3. The antifungal effect of the compounds under study increased with an increase in the duration of exposure and the intensity of illumination.

An assessment of the impact of low-intensity laser irradiation (LILI) and magnetic field (MF) on the biodegradation of a number of industrial products: wood fiberboard (WFB) and polyester caused by filamentous fungi is presented. It has been established that the magnetic field is capable of causing intensive destruction of wood fiberboard and polyester by fungi Alternaria alternata, Aspergillus niger, then the destructive process of WFB in the case of Penicillium cyclopium remained at the control level, and in the case of polyester it slowed down. The action of LILI, on the contrary, increased the destructive activity of Penicillium cyclopium in variants with WFB, and for polyester in the fungi Alternaria alternata, Aspergillus niger. Differences in the change in the resistance of products to fungi under the action of LILI and MF can be associated with both the physiological and biochemical characteristics of fungi and the aging process of polymers under the influence of the studied physical factors.

Effect of low-frequency pulsed magnetic field and of low-intensity laser radiation on mycelial fungi actively degrading various polymer materials was studied. These factors had a different effect on spores of fungi and mycelia. Irradiation could stimulate and suppress fungal growth. The studied physical factors had dose-dependent effects on activity of the extracellular fungal oxidoreductases (catalase and peroxidase); both increased and decreased enzymatic activities were observed.

The article is dedicated to the funginertness of different construction materials based on acrylates: emulsions Lakroten E-21, Lakroten E-31, Latacryl ZM-1, and Latacryl AF, as well as metacrylate, metacrylate copolymer with metacrylic acid, and n-chlorophenylmetacrylate acrylic glasses. All studied materials, except the Latacryl ZM-1 and copolymer acrylic glasses, demonstrated susceptibility to biodeterioration by microfungi. Multi-compound acrylic compositions appeared to exhibit the emergence, i.e. their funginertness cannot be predicted based on stability of their individual components. Fungal exo-oxidoreductases (catalase, peroxidase) were defined to contribute into the biodegradation processes in construction materials based on acrylates by micromycetes. The biocides Nuosept 78 and Rosima 243 demonstrated the ability to suppress exo-catalase and exo-peroxidase activity (exo-catalase and exo-peroxidase participate in the biodeterioration of the studied materials) in the fungus Aspergillus terreus; thus, they can be recommended for use as means of bioprotection. The non-fungi-resistant acrylic materials were protected from biodeterioration in a targeted and scientifically-grounded way by the introduction of the abovementioned biocidal additives into their compositions. The bioprotection is based on biochemical aspects of biodestructive microfungal activity.

It has been established that the degree of biodegradation of composites based on polyvinyl chloride and natural polymers by microscopic fungi changes as a function of the chitosan and starch content in the composites. Biodegradation of polymeric material is accompanied with change in its physicochemical properties. A number of physical factors result in an increase in the degree of biodegradation of the materials investigated.

It was showed that investigated paint coatings have varying degrees of resistance to the action of microfungus, and fungal resistance may differ substantially from the fungal resistance of the individual components of these systems. It was showed that climatic factors may affect the original fungal resistance of paint coatings systems. There were given recommendations for testing scheme fungal resistance of paint coating systems for a more objective assessment of their resistance to the action of microfungus, which allows carrying out more targeted protection agains biological damage caused by micromycetes under different operation conditions.

We have studied the resistance of coating materials to the action of microscopic fungi. It has been shown that most coatings used in construction are not resistant to microbiological damage. True microscopic fungi-destructors of the materials studied have been identified. Concentrations of biocides have been found that provide funginertness and fungicidity of paints and varnishes used at work. The imperfection of standard laboratory tests on fungal resistance is also pointed out.

Resistance of some acrylic polymers to microscopic fungi has been studied. Fungus-resistant and nonresistant compositions have been identified. A comparative evaluation of material compositions according to fungal resistance has been carried out. The most active fungi-biodegradants of acryl compositions have been found. Some drawbacks of standard laboratory tests for fungal resistance are pointed out.