Project description
Green solutions for sustainable cultural heritage conservation
Microbial biodeterioration poses a severe threat to cultural heritage, outpacing traditional preservation methods. To fix this, scientists are looking at green alternatives such as plant essential oils and antimicrobial microorganisms, but these options still lack rigorous validation and practical delivery systems. Supported by the Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions programme, the GreenTechCH project is developing a green biocide for preserving cultural heritage by combining essential oils and beneficial microorganisms with advanced delivery systems. Sampling at the Auschwitz-Birkenau Museum, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, will involve collecting isolates from stone, wood, textiles, and paper, which will be tested against heritage-associated microorganisms. Long-term on-site trials at Auschwitz-Birkenau will evaluate the biocide’s effectiveness in real conditions, integrating microbiology, chemistry, toxicology, and materials science.
Objective
Our cultural heritage is under constant threat from microbial biodeterioration. For decades, preservation has relied on chemical biocides that are toxic, persistent, and increasingly restricted under EU regulations, as well as physical methods that damage materials and fail against hidden microbial growth. While plant essential oils and microorganisms with antimicrobial properties are emerging as green alternatives, their potential remains unrealised: they lack comprehensive characterisation, effective delivery systems, and—most critically—validation on real heritage objects. GreenTechCH will develop the first green biocide for cultural heritage. The project will combine essential oils and beneficial microorganisms with advanced delivery systems to ensure stability, controlled release, and compatibility with diverse heritage materials. Non-invasive sampling at the Auschwitz-Birkenau Museum, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, will provide isolates from various materials (e.g. stone, wood, textiles, paper), ensuring biocide testing against heritage-associated microorganisms across multiple substrates. Laboratory experiments will be complemented by long-term on-site trials at Auschwitz-Birkenau to evaluate performance in real conservation conditions. This interdisciplinary research bridges microbiology, chemistry, chemical engineering, toxicology, materials science, and conservation, providing innovative biocide formulations in advanced delivery systems and validated protocols. The fellowship will be hosted by Prof. Beata Gutarowska (Lodz University of Technology), a leading expert in heritage biodeterioration, with secondments under Prof. Tomasz Ruman (Rzeszów University of Technology) for metabolomic and advanced imaging. This training will expand my expertise in heritage microbiology with chemistry and materials science, positioning me to lead cutting-edge research in applied microbiology dedicated to cultural heritage and to contribute to EU sustainability priorities.
Fields of science (EuroSciVoc)
CORDIS classifies projects with EuroSciVoc, a multilingual taxonomy of fields of science, through a semi-automatic process based on NLP techniques. See: The European Science Vocabulary.
CORDIS classifies projects with EuroSciVoc, a multilingual taxonomy of fields of science, through a semi-automatic process based on NLP techniques. See: The European Science Vocabulary.
- engineering and technology materials engineering textiles
- engineering and technology chemical engineering
- natural sciences biological sciences microbiology
- medical and health sciences basic medicine toxicology
- agricultural sciences agriculture, forestry, and fisheries forestry
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Keywords
Project’s keywords as indicated by the project coordinator. Not to be confused with the EuroSciVoc taxonomy (Fields of science)
Project’s keywords as indicated by the project coordinator. Not to be confused with the EuroSciVoc taxonomy (Fields of science)
Programme(s)
Multi-annual funding programmes that define the EU’s priorities for research and innovation.
Multi-annual funding programmes that define the EU’s priorities for research and innovation.
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HORIZON.1.2 - Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions (MSCA)
MAIN PROGRAMME
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Topic(s)
Calls for proposals are divided into topics. A topic defines a specific subject or area for which applicants can submit proposals. The description of a topic comprises its specific scope and the expected impact of the funded project.
Calls for proposals are divided into topics. A topic defines a specific subject or area for which applicants can submit proposals. The description of a topic comprises its specific scope and the expected impact of the funded project.
Funding Scheme
Funding scheme (or “Type of Action”) inside a programme with common features. It specifies: the scope of what is funded; the reimbursement rate; specific evaluation criteria to qualify for funding; and the use of simplified forms of costs like lump sums.
Funding scheme (or “Type of Action”) inside a programme with common features. It specifies: the scope of what is funded; the reimbursement rate; specific evaluation criteria to qualify for funding; and the use of simplified forms of costs like lump sums.
HORIZON-TMA-MSCA-PF-EF - HORIZON TMA MSCA Postdoctoral Fellowships - European Fellowships
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Call for proposal
Procedure for inviting applicants to submit project proposals, with the aim of receiving EU funding.
Procedure for inviting applicants to submit project proposals, with the aim of receiving EU funding.
(opens in new window) HORIZON-MSCA-2025-PF
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Net EU financial contribution. The sum of money that the participant receives, deducted by the EU contribution to its linked third party. It considers the distribution of the EU financial contribution between direct beneficiaries of the project and other types of participants, like third-party participants.
90 924 LODZ
Poland
The total costs incurred by this organisation to participate in the project, including direct and indirect costs. This amount is a subset of the overall project budget.