Abstract
Artefact conditions need to be continuously monitored to avoid degradation effects naturally caused by time and public exploitation in order to increase the value of cultural assets. In this way, the atmospheric analysis of both biological and chemical pollutants potentially present inside conservation environments represents valid support for the adoption of preventive conservation actions by evaluating periodically the presence of risk for the same artefacts. The aim of the present study was to analyze the fungal particles, potentially biodeteriogen, through aerobiological volumetric monitoring, particularly inside valuable historical, artistic, and cultural sites. Different exposition and conservation typologies of the artefacts with different flows of visitors were considered. The applied methodologies have furnished a reliable description of biological air pollution due to the presence of fungal spores—moreover, they have allowed for the prevention of risk situations and the measurement of their evolution in order to limit degradation processes. Through aerobiological monitoring, it was possible to provide important indications for interventions of prevention, conservation and restoration of cultural heritage in indoor environments.
Highlights
The effectiveness of the protection and conservation of cultural heritage derives from an appropriate level of safety, environmental control, management, care, and treatment of the exhibition environments for protecting the building from chemical and physical damage [1]
3 and colony forming units (CFU)/m3) was different depending on the construction characteristics of concentration (spores/m concentration was different depending on the construction characteristics of the the monitored monitored sites sites (Museum, (Museum, Library, Library, Archive)
The simultaneous use of both volumetric samplers, the Burkard personal volumetric air sampler and the Andersen, is important because they allow for the detection of the spores concentration in the atmosphere, measuring the bio-contamination with different technical characteristics but providing an evaluation of the potential biodeterioration of cultural heritage in indoor environments
Summary
The effectiveness of the protection and conservation of cultural heritage derives from an appropriate level of safety, environmental control, management, care, and treatment of the exhibition environments for protecting the building from chemical and physical damage [1]. It is necessary to promote and support the constant analysis and monitoring over time of all those environmental parameters that can give rise to various types of degradation, in particular that of a biological origin. Being mainly constituted by organic materials, these artefacts, in unfavourable environmental conditions, can represent a nutritional source and a physical support for micro-mushrooms and airborne bacteria, with the consequent irreversible deterioration (biodeterioration) of the artefacts. Fungal spores are the most frequent and harmful microorganisms associated with the biodeterioration of organic and inorganic materials in an indoor environment: their high metabolic versatility allow them to colonize various types of substrate
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