Cultural heritage microbiology : fundamental studies in conservation science

350 Pages·2010·66.169 MB·English

by  Ralph Mitchell, Christopher J McNamara

Cultural Heritage
Microbiology
Fundamental Studies in
Conservation Science
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Cultural Heritage
Microbiology
Fundamental Studies in
Conservation Science
Edited by
RALPH MITCHELL
Harvard School of Engineering and Applied Sciences,
Cambridge, MA 02138
CHRISTOPHER J. MCNAMARA
Harvard School of Public Health, Boston, MA 02215
Washington, DC
Copyright © 2010 ASM Press
American Society for Microbiology
1752 N Street, N.W.
Washington, DC 20036-2904
Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data
Cultural heritage microbiology : fundamental studies in conservation science / edited by
Ralph Mitchell, Christopher J. McNamara.
p. cm.
Includes index.
ISBN 978-1-55581-476-2
1. Biodegradation. 2. Materials--Biodegradation. 3. Art objects--Conservation and
restoration. I. Mitchell, Ralph. II. McNamara, Christopher J.
QR135.C85 2010
579--dc22
2010009929
ISBN 978-1-55581-476-2
All Rights Reserved
Printed in the United States of America
10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1
Address editorial correspondence to: ASM Press, 1752 N St., N.W., Washington, DC
20036-2904, U.S.A.
Send orders to: ASM Press, P.O. Box 605, Herndon, VA 20172, U.S.A.
Phone: [phone]
Fax: [phone]
Email: [email protected]
Online: estore.asm.org
Contents
Preface ix
SECTION I PAINTED MATERIALS
Chapter 1 Painted Materials 3
Cesareo Saiz-Jimenez
Paper 1. Microbial Degradation of Paintings 15
Orio Ciferri
Paper 2. Distribution of Microorganisms on Ancient Wall
Paintings as Related to Associated Faunal
Elements 23
A. A. Gorbushina and K. Petersen
Paper 3. Altamira Cave Paleolithic Paintings Harbor Partly
Unknown Bacterial Communities 31
Claudia Schabereiter-Gurtner, Cesareo Saiz-Jimenez,
Guadalupe Piñar, Werner Lubitz, and Sabine Rölleke
Paper 4. Impact of Biocide Treatments on the Bacterial
Communities of the Lascaux Cave 37
Fabiola Bastian, Claude Alabouvette, Valme Jurado,
and Cesareo Saiz-Jimenez
SECTION II PAPER AND MANUSCRIPTS
Chapter 2 Paper and Manuscripts 45
Francesca Cappitelli and Claudia Sorlini
Paper 5. Aerobiological Research and Problems in
Libraries 61
Fausta Gallo
v
vi CONTENTS
Paper 6. The Role of the Conidia of Fungi in Fox
Spots 75
Mary-Lou E. Florian
Paper 7. Application of Molecular Techniques for
Identification of Fungal Communities Colonising
Paper Material 85
Astrid Michaelsen, Flavia Pinzari, Katrin Ripka,
Werner Lubitz, and Guadalupe Piñar
SECTION III TEXTILES
Chapter 3 Textiles 97
Paul Garside
Paper 8. Biodegradation and Characterization of
Water-Degraded Archaeological Textiles Created
for Conservation Research 111
E. E. Peacock
Paper 9. The Microbial Degradation of Silk: a Laboratory
Investigation 123
Annamaria Seves, Maria Romanò, Tullia Maifreni,
Silvio Sora, and Orio Ciferri
Paper 10. Fungal Growth on Synthetic Cloth from Apollo
Spacesuits 133
M. Breuker, C. McNamara, L. Young, T. Perry,
A. Young, and R. Mitchell
Paper 11. The Long-Term Effect of Selected Conservation
Materials Used in the Treatment of Museum
Artefacts on Some Properties of Textiles 141
O. M. A. Abdel-Kareem
SECTION IV SYNTHETIC POLYMERS
Chapter 4 Synthetic Polymers 153
Francesca Cappitelli
Paper 12. Fungal Bioturbation Paths in a Compact
Disk 167
Javier Garcia-Guinea, Victor Cárdenes, Angel T.
Martínez, and Maria Jesús Martínez
Paper 13. Biodeterioration of Modern Materials in
Contemporary Collections: Can Biotechnology
Help? 171
Francesca Cappitelli, Pamela Principi, and
Claudia Sorlini
CONTENTS vii
SECTION V MICROBIAL DEGRADATION OF WOOD
FROM AQUATIC AND TERRESTRIAL
ENVIRONMENTS
Chapter 5 Microbial Degradation of Wood from Aquatic and Terrestrial
Environments 179
Robert A. Blanchette
Paper 14. A Review of Microbial Deterioration Found
in Archaeological Wood from Different
Environments 191
Robert A. Blanchette
Paper 15. Sulfur Accumulation in Pinewood (Pinus sylvestris)
Induced by Bacteria in a Simulated Seabed
Environment: Implications for Marine
Archaeological Wood and Fossil Fuels 207
Yvonne Fors, Thomas Nilsson, Emiliana Damian
Risberg, Magnus Sandström, and Peter Torssander
SECTION VI STONE BIODETERIORATION
Chapter 6 Stone Biodeterioration 221
Eric May
Paper 16. Biodeterioration of Mineral Materials by
Microorganisms—Biogenic Sulfuric and Nitric
Acid Corrosion of Concrete and Natural
Stone 235
W. Sand and E. Bock
Paper 17. Deposition of Anthropogenic Compounds
on Monuments and Their Effect on Airborne
Microorganisms 245
C. Saiz-Jimenez
Paper 18. Enhancement of Physical Weathering of Building
Stones by Microbial Populations 261
Sophia Papida, William Murphy, and Eric May
Paper 19. Epilithic and Endolithic Bacterial Communities
in Limestone from a Maya Archaeological
Site 275
Christopher J. McNamara, Thomas D. Perry IV,
Kristen A. Bearce, Guillermo Hernandez-Duque,
and Ralph Mitchell
viii CONTENTS
SECTION VII STONE BIOCONSERVATION
Chapter 7 Stone Bioconservation 291
Claudia Sorlini, Giancarlo Ranalli, and Elisabeta
Zanardini
Paper 20. Conservation of Ornamental Stone by
Myxococcus xanthus-Induced Carbonate
Biomineralization 305
Carlos Rodriguez-Navarro, Manuel Rodriguez-
Gallego, Koutar Ben Chekroun, and Maria Teresa
Gonzalez-Muñoz
Paper 21. Advantages of Using Microbial Technology over
Traditional Chemical Technology in Removal of
Black Crusts from Stone Surfaces of Historical
Monuments 317
Francesca Cappitelli, Lucia Toniolo, Antonio
Sansonetti, Davide Gulotta, Giancarlo Ranalli,
Elisabetta Zanardini, and Claudia Sorlini
Index 323
Preface
Many historic and culturally important objects are at risk of microbial deterio-
ration. No material is immune to microbial attack; microorganisms have been
shown to play a role in the deterioration of historic paintings, wood, paper, glass,
textiles, metals, waxes, polymers and coatings, and stone.
Microbial deterioration of heritage materials occurs primarily through the
formation and growth of biofilms—microorganisms attached to a surface and
embedded within a microbially produced polymer matrix. With respect to the
deterioration of heritage materials, there are several characteristics of biofilms
that are of importance. First, biofilms are extremely difficult to eradicate. Harsh
physical and chemical treatments that are needed to destroy biofilms may dam-
age fragile heritage materials. Less stringent treatments may allow the biofilm
to regrow and contaminate other objects in the collection. Second, the bacterial
polymer matrix, which contributes to the adhesion and survival of the biofilm,
may also play a role in the deterioration of some materials. Finally, the close
association of different types of organisms within the biofilm permits cooperative
growth that can enhance deterioration.
Microbial deterioration does not occur in isolation. Microbial processes act in
conjunction with physical and chemical deterioration and in most instances are
inseparable from it. The material composition of the object as well as the external
environment can, in part, determine the community of microorganisms that is
present and the mechanism of deterioration. However, microorganisms can also
alter the physical and chemical properties at a material surface, thereby affecting
other deterioration mechanisms.
Finally, there is a growing understanding that in some cases microbial growth
may be protective—or, at a minimum, that removal may do more damage than
leaving the microbial growth in place. Furthermore, recent advances have
shown that it is possible to utilize microbial enzymes and other metabolic prod-
ucts, or even living microorganisms, to conserve heritage materials. All of these
ix