Abstract
Cultural heritage constitutive materials can provide excellent substrates for microbial colonisation, highly influenced by thermo-hygrometric parameters. In cultural heritage-related environments, a detrimental microbial load may be present both on artworks surface and in the aerosol. Confined environments (museums, archives, deposits, caves, hypogea) are characterised by peculiar structures and different thermo-hygrometric conditions, influencing the development of a wide range of microbial species, able to induce artefact biodeterioration and to release biological particles in the aerosol (spores, cellular debrides, toxins, allergens) potentially dangerous for the human health (visitors/users). In order to identify the real composition of the biological consortia, highlighting also the symbiotic relationships between microorganisms (cyanobacteria, bacteria, fungi) and macro-organisms (plants, bryophyte, insects), an interdisciplinary approach is needed.
The results from in vitro culture, microscopy and molecular biology analysis are essential for a complete understanding of both microbial colonisation of the cultural objects and the potential relationship with illness to human. Concerning the bioaerosol, of crucial importance are the time and techniques for sampling.
Keywords
- Biodeterioration
- Microbial colonisation
- Preventive conservation
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- 1.
- 2.
- 3.
- 4.
EAN, European Aeroallergen Network; RIMA, Rete Italiana di Monitoraggio in Aerobiologia; REA, Red Española de Aerobiología; RNSA, Réseau National de Surveillance Aérobiologique (France); National Allergy Bureau (USA).
- 5.
UNI 11108:2004—Method for sampling and counting airborne pollen grains and fungal spores (UNI, Italian standardisation body).
- 6.
CEN EN 16868:2019—Ambient air—Sampling and analysis of airborne pollen grains and fungal spores for networks related to allergy—Volumetric Hirst method.
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Nuntiis, P.D., Palla, F. (2022). Bioaerosol. In: Palla, F., Barresi, G. (eds) Biotechnology and Conservation of Cultural Heritage. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-97585-2_2
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