Materials must serve their purpose safely and reliably over long periods of time. Wherever materials meet the living environment is where the Biodeterioration and Reference Organisms division engages its research. We investigate changes to materials after exposure to biological processes, determine the effectiveness of material preservative (biocides) and the development of resistance against these biocides using current and newly developed testing methods.

We are particularly interested in how bacteria, archaea, fungi and insects degrade and corrode materials such as wood, plastics, metals or textiles, or the effects that they have on diesel, paints, lubricants and material surfaces. We research how resistance to biocidal agents evolve and develop standard test methods and evaluation procedures to improve the assessment of risks associated with biocide resistance. We identify organisms that damage materials and characterise them using traditional or modern microscopic and molecular biological methods.

further information

Priv.-Doz. Dr. rer. nat. Hans-Jörg Kunte, Head of Division Biodeterioration and Reference Organisms, Bundesanstalt für Materialforschung und -prüfung (BAM)

Contact Priv.-Doz. Dr. rer. nat. Hans-Jörg Kunte