Abstract
The biodeterioration of audio–visual materials is a huge problem, as it can cause incalculable losses. To preserve these cultural heritage objects for future generations, it is necessary to determine the main agents of biodeterioration. This study focuses on identifying fungi, both from the air and smears from photographs and cinematographic films that differ in the type of carrier and binder, using high-throughput sequencing approaches. The alpha diversity measures of communities present on all types of carriers were compared, and a significant difference between cellulose acetate and baryta paper was observed. Next, the locality, type of carrier, and audio–visual material seem to affect the structure of fungal communities. Additionally, a link between the occurrence of the most abundant classes and species on audio–visual materials and air contamination in the archives was proven. In both cases, the most abundant classes were Agariomycetes, Dothideomycetes, and Eurotiomycetes, and approximately half of the 50 most abundant species detected on the audio–visual materials and in the air were identical.
Highlights
The archiving of historical audio–visual materials, such as film reels or photographs, is essential for the protection of cultural heritage [1]
The Shannon diversity index showed (Figure 1) that the significant difference in fungal biodiversity was only between two types of carriers, namely cellulose acetate and baryta paper. This finding is not surprising, as these two carriers are used for different types of audio–visual material
Cellulose acetate films are very susceptible to so-called vinegar syndrome [1], the degradation of acetate to form acetic acid caused by fungal genera such as Aspergillus, Penicillium, Fusarium, or Trichoderma [25]
Summary
The archiving of historical audio–visual materials, such as film reels or photographs, is essential for the protection of cultural heritage [1] Such materials are often contaminated and degraded by microorganisms, with fungi playing a more critical role than bacteria [2]. The reason why these materials are degraded is the presence of a binder that is part of the photographic emulsion—a light-sensitive layer that is responsible for capturing the image. Binders such as gelatine, albumen, or collodion are suitable substrates for the growth of microbial populations [1,3,4]. The presence of microbes is affected by environmental conditions, such as temperature, humidity, and/or airflow [5].
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