EPR-SPECTRA OF DARK-COLORED MICROMYCETES ISOLATED FROM THE MARBLE

Dark-coloured micromycetes isolated from marble monuments in the Medit erranean Basin heve been investigated by means of electron paramagneti c resonance method (EPR) at X-and Q-bands. EPR spectra of fungi at X-b and showed a typical for showed melanins single lines with g-values be tween 2.0037 and 2.0042 and line width 4-7 Gs. It has been found that at Q-band EPR spectrum of fungi was defined as superposition of stradd le lines. It was concluded that there were at least two paramagnetic c enters in the black fungi analyzed. To our estimation, the first cente r, Z (1), was isotropic with g-value close to 2.0039; the second, Z (2 ), was anisotropic. Both centers were presented in all investigated st rains; the numbers of these centers were variable for each fungal cult ure. It has been shown that using fungal melanin signal as specific na tural spin label, it was possible to recognize and identify in small s amples (1-3 mg) of marble or another material the presence of micromyc etes by EPR spectroscopy.