GreenTechCH · GreenTech Solutions for Sustainable Cultural Heritage

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.