Study About the Influence of Diatoms on the Durability of Monumental Limestone
2025
Daniel Merino-Maldonado | Rebeca Martínez-García | Víctor Baladrón-Blanco | Jesús de Prado-Gil | Fernando J. Fraile-Fernández | María Fernández-Raga | Covadonga Palencia | Andrés Juan-Valdés
This study focuses on the evaluation of the effects of a natural treatment of limestone rock samples using microalgae known as diatoms. A total of 18 samples in the form of 50 mm cubes, carved from limestone rock from Boñar (Spain), were analyzed, divided into experimental and control groups with an equal number of samples. Through various tests evaluating porosity, water absorption, frost resistance, and salt crystallization, diatom-treated samples were found to show higher porosity and water absorption compared with the control samples, especially when the entire sample was analyzed as a whole. However, in tests focusing on the surface side most exposed to biodeposition, reduced water absorption was observed in the treated samples, suggesting an improvement in their antiabsorption properties. In addition, slightly higher frost resistance was detected in the treated samples. For this reason, this study provides valuable information on the potential of diatoms to influence the properties of limestone rocks, which can serve as a basis for future research in this field and for the development of more effective treatments to improve the characteristics of rocks used in various applications.
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