Counts of fungal spores released during inspection of mouldy cinematographic film and determination of the gelatinolytic activity of predominant isolates

Abstract

Film archivists have expressed concern regarding the release of aerial spores during inspection of mouldy cinematographic film. This study investigated the release of fungal spores during a simulated inspection procedure, and identified the key contaminants, the aim being to make recommendations to archivists regarding safe handling of such film. Eighteen films (black and white or colour) donated to the North West Film Archive, in Manchester, UK, were examined. During simulated inspection, spore release ranged from zero to several thousand spores per m3, with the films showing the most visible mould colonisation usually yielding the highest numbers of colonies. There was no significant difference between the number of spores released from black and white film in contrast with colour film reels. Major contaminants were of the genera Aspergillus or Penicillium. A. versicolor was the most common species isolated. Gelatinase assays were performed on predominant isolates, to investigate whether fungal species which released the most spores, were also the most gelatinolytic, thus posing the greatest threat to film preservation. However, this doesn't prove to be the case. Some films released spores in numbers greater than are deemed ‘safe’ levels; therefore caution is advised when dealing with very mouldy film reels.