research/projects

achieved work (german)

work in progress

1. Intelligent building materials
   

   Intelligent self cleaning building materials and techniques to study the efficiency of Lotus effect and other surface treatments in order to minimize or eliminate biofilm growth on building materials. Rapid test techniques, non-destructive measurements and other applications are developed together wit partners from research institutes and industry. This research is done within the frame of the consulting company BIOGEMA.

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2. Aerobiology and atmospheric dust inhabitants
   

   Within a larger team I take part in the exploration of the microbiology of atmospheric dust. Dust samples from natural history museums and libraries, having been stored for more than 150 years are analysed microscopically, microbiologically (including molecular ecology techniques) and concerning their ubiquity or spezial origin in relation to climatic and metereological conditions. Within this team I deal mainly with science history aspects and hints to possible global climate change indicators in the 19th Century.

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3. Biological impact on "Plate Tectonics"
   

   I am working presently with several aspects of potential and actual sun energy storage in geological formations presently and through geological history. I, as others (e.g. D. Anderson, S. Franck and his team at PIK, Potsdam, M. Rosing) analyse the potential of photosynthetically captured sun energy as a motor of top-down plate tectonics (or platonics) in contrast to views of bottom-up plate tectonics (or plutanics) as Anderson (2003, 2006) stated.

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4. Bio-Patina research in several different directions
   

   Since 1967 I work on biogenic patina formation on buildings and natural rock surfaces. I operate a desert research site (open air test area) for surface change phenomena under desert or any other extreme conditions. The reasons and sources of colour change and other alterations of natural rock surfaces is analysed together with several collegues at ICBM and world-wide.

   Further the topic of articficial patina production and identification of original or forged patina is a major aspect of the work. I analysed colour changes of the Acropolis monuments in Athens through his company BIOGEMA in a contract fort he Greek Government and recently analysed two debated archeological objects found in Israel with unknown provenience (St. James Ossuary and so-called Jehoash tablet) (for report see Biblical Society).

   The Negev field site is operated jointly with Anna Gorbushina. I deal with patina formation on rock varnished surfaces near Avdat. The bedrock was freshly exposed (using hammer and chisel as well as flint tools) in 1967, 1971, 1974, 1976, 1983, 1996. In 1996 Dr. Gorbushina opened another field site near Sde Boqr (equally Negev desert). She exposed freshly cut limestone specimens from the area for analysis of the speed of settlement of cyanobacteria, fungi, and lichens. Part of this work is done jointly with Dr. Shimon Ilani and Tsevi Minster of the Israel Geological Survey, Jerusalem.

   Recent blacking of surfaces in the limestones near Arad (abandoned quarry)	SEM-Micrograph of fungi from the patinated surfaces at Arad quarry site

   
   
5. Biopitting research
   

   Biopitting research was started jointly with Avinoam Danin in 1976. Later Prof. Danin (HUJI), Prof. Yaacov Garty (Tel Aviv University) and I followed individual lines of biopitting research. Me and collaborators started several individual approaches to biopitting (see the work of Gehrmann, Gorbushina, Sterflinger) among which recently also modeling of pitting jointly with the group of Prof. W. Heckl at LMU, München and with K. Rodenacker at HelmholtzZentrum münchen IBB. Pitting classification and modeling is needed in order to safely co-ordinate abandoned biopits to the organisms creating them and to distinguish mechanical or chemical pitting corrosion from biologically initiated and organised biopitting. Work is ongoing. Some references are in my publication list.