O estado de Pernambuco, no Brasil, é considerado uma das regiões com maior número de edificações adornadas com fachadas de azulejos. Estes painéis estão vulneráveis às ações da biodeterioração microbiana. O objetivo desta pesquisa foi realizar uma bioprospecção superficial dos fungos e bactérias dos painéis de azulejos da Academia Pernambucana de Letras (APL). Para o isolamento dos microrganismos foram utilizados seis meios de cultura, três para fungos (BDA, MEA e PGRBA) e três para bactérias (MH, R2 e TSA). A identificação da população microbiana foi por taxonômica clássica. Além disso, fragmentos de azulejos foram analisados por microscópio eletrônico de varredura (MEV), microscopia de fluorescência e espectroscopia de fluorescência de raios X (FRX). Os meios de cultura com melhores resultados foram o MEA, PGRBA, TSA e R2, totalizando 362 cepas isoladas. As imagens microscópicas revelaram biofilmes microbianos entre o vitrificado e o corpo cerâmico.

Abstract

The state of Pernambuco, Brazil, is considered one of the regions with the highest number of buildings adorned with tile facades. These panels are vulnerable to microbial biodeterioration. The objective of this research was to perform a surface bioprospecting of fungi and bacteria present on the tile panels of the Pernambuco Academy of Letters (APL). Six culture media were used to isolate the microorganisms—three for fungi (BDA, MEA, and PGRBA) and three for bacteria (MH, R2, and TSA). The microbial population was identified using classical taxonomy. In addition, tile fragments were analyzed by scanning electron microscopy (SEM), fluorescence microscopy, and X-ray fluorescence spectroscopy (XRF). The culture media with the best results were MEA, PGRBA, TSA, and R2, totaling 362 isolated strains. Microscopic images revealed microbial biofilms between the glaze and the ceramic body.

Patrimônio cultural, painéis de azulejo, biodeterioração, microrganismos, Brasil.

Recebido: 12/11/2025. Aceito: 29/12/2025. Publicado: 17/1/2026.

Conceição, E.M.; H.S.L. Sullasi; C.D.F. Santos; N.B. Gusmão; T.G. Silva; V.C.S. Alves; S.S. Nascimento; J.M. Duarte. 2026. Bioprospecção microbiana em azulejos históricos da Academia Pernambucana de Letras (APL), Recife, Brasil. Arqueología Iberoamericana 57: 3-20.

PURL: purl.org/aia/5701. ARK: ark:49934/404, ark:49934/404.

Este trabalho contou com apoio financeiro do Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq), Brasil, Processos n.º 420187/2023-5 e n.º 443168/2023-7.

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