Combined effects of gamma-irradiation, dose rate and mycobiota activity on cultural heritage – Study on model paper

Abstract

Cellulose, the main constituent of paper-made objects of cultural heritage (CH), is a favorable substrate for fungal growth. Gamma irradiation is a well-established low-cost treatment convenient for decontamination of such objects. Since side-effects to paper-based CH are always a concern the aim of this work was to investigate if a synergism of microbiological contamination and gamma irradiation effects exists and if it induces changes in paper's appearance and structure. The dose rate plays an important yet generally neglected role in the efficacy of the radiation treatment so another goal was to assert its influence on decontamination efficiency and paper properties.Irradiation conditions for treating the highly resistant secondary colonizer Cladosporium sphaerospermum, as well as the naturally occurring mycobiota were evaluated. Untreated and inoculated samples of paper were irradiated with doses commonly applied to CH objects, as well as to significantly higher doses, at two dose rates that differ for two orders of magnitude. Microbiological analysis of irradiated samples was conducted. Colorimetric analysis, UV-vis and FTIR measurements were performed after short lived reaction species have decayed.The results have shown that in the case of high contaminations (104 CFU/g) the applied dose needs to be adjusted and that the corresponding dose rate needs to be high enough. While at the dose rate of 31 kGy/h the irradiation dose of 7 kGy seems to be effective to obtain proper reduction of mycobita, at the dose rate that was two orders of magnitude lower the required dose increased approximately ten times. Thus the reevaluation of the recommended dose of 8 ± 2 kGy is needed. Considering the side effects of radiation treatment the dose rate effect has also been observed. At the higher of the investigated dose rates the irradiation doses needed for decontamination did not alter the appearance of paper, while at the lower one the changes were hardly perceptible. The main species showing their contribution to color change were the carbonate anion-radicals that were formed on the CaCO3 paper filler. No oxidation or change in crystallinity of cellulose was detected. Overall changes were too insignificant to make any conclusion on the contribution of mycobiota to the irradiation side-effects on the paper under the studied conditions.