Special methods are necessary for the control of wood destroying organisms in the preservation of monuments and historic buildings because of the conservation of their originality and uniqueness. The control of wood destroying organisms can be realized with conventional liquid wood preservatives or alternative methods. One of these methods is the fumigation. One fumigant, which was in the past often used for the control of wood destroying insects and also of wood destroying fungi, was Bromomethane. It is very effective, but also influences the ozone layer. Therefore a substitution of this fumigant became necessary. A potential alternative could be Sulfuryl Difluoride. This research project has investigated the effectiveness of Sulfuryl Difluoride concerning fungal control. The effect of Sulfuryl Difluoride on the viability of the wood inhabiting fungi Serpula lacrymans (Wulfen: Fr.) Schroeter , Coniophora puteana (Schum.: Fr.) P. Karsten, Oligoporus placenta (Fr.) Gilbertson et Ryv., Lentinus lepideus (Fr.) Fr. and Ophiostoma piliferum (Fries:Fries) H. & P. Sydow was examined. The fungi were cultivated on MEA medium and infected wood samples. The cultures were exposed to different concentrations of the fumigant. After treatment regeneration of mycelia were tested visually and by determination of mass loss of the wood samples. The fungal tests exhibited a good effectiveness of Sulfuryl Difluoride against fungal mycelium. The different fungal species were differently sensitive to the fumigation, but the results clearly showed that Sulfuryl Difluoride was effective at reducing and eliminating the fungal activity.

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