The Open Conference Proceedings Journal
2016, 7 : 65-69Published online 2016 April 08. DOI: 10.2174/2210289201607020065
Publisher ID: TOPROCJ-7-2-65
RESEARCH ARTICLE
Biocleaning of Cultural Heritage Surfaces
Dipartimento di Scienze per gli Alimenti, la Nutrizione e l’Ambiente, Università degli Studi di Milano, Milano, Italy
* Address correspondence to this author at the Dipartimento di Scienze per gli Alimenti, la Nutrizione e l’Ambiente, Università degli Studi di Milano, Milano, Italy; Tel: +39 02 50319121; Fax: +39 02 50319238; Email: francesca.cappitelli@unimi.it
* Address correspondence to this author at the Dipartimento di Scienze per gli Alimenti, la Nutrizione e l’Ambiente, Università degli Studi di Milano, Milano, Italy; Tel: +39 02 50319121; Fax: +39 02 50319238; Email: francesca.cappitelli@unimi.it
ABSTRACT
Microbial agents are among the major causes of deterioration of cultural heritage, strongly affecting our global cultural legacy, the stone, glass, wood and other sources used to fabricate millions of artworks and monuments around the world. However, it is not all about rotting and erosion! Microbial action has been harnessed to clean the surfaces of stone sculptures and buildings and frescoes. In particular, the ability and potential of different microorganisms to remove undesired sulphates, nitrates and organic matter have been demonstrated a number of times in the last decade.