Microbial biodeterioration of cultural heritage and identification of the active agents over the last two decades

Abstract

• Identification of microorganisms is necessary for cultural heritage prevention. • Microorganisms can colonise and deteriorate any cultural heritage object. • A wide range of microbial identification studies have emerged since first NGS. • Culture-dependant techniques still dominate in the field of cultural heritage. Cultural heritage includes everything that mankind has created in the past and has impacted the development of culture. These objects can be subject to biodeterioration, including the activity of microorganisms, which can lead to the incalculable loss of records of our history. Therefore, it is essential to identify the microorganisms present on the surface of historical objects, monitor their metabolic activity, and based on this knowledge, find a possible way to protect the cultural heritage. This paper focuses on the most endangered cultural heritage objects (wooden objects, written documents, audio-visual materials, textiles, stone objects, paintings, and stained-glass windows), describes the materials that these objects are made of and the reasons for their biodeterioration. Furthermore, we provide an overview of all microbial identification methods used in the field of cultural heritage since 2005, when the first next-generation sequencing technique originated.