Search results for "deterioration"

Cold-active molecules for a sustainable preservation and restoration of historic-artistic manufacts

2016

In the last decades biotechnology research provides sustainable alternatives to traditional procedures for preventive preservation of cultural assets. Recently, bioactive molecules (BMs) isolated from marine invertebrate organisms have been isolated and tested for bioremoval of protein layers (BMP) or to controlling microbial colonization (BMA), acting at temperature lower than 30°C. The Protease or Antimicrobial activity was tested on ad hoc assembled specimens and on different historic-artistic manufacts. In bio-removing protocol BMP molecules were applied as gelled solutions, in order to guarantees a selective action, respectful of constitutive materials and manufact integrity. Peculiari…

Partial vinylphenol reductase purification and characterization from Brettanomyces bruxellensis

2008

International audience; Brettanomyces is the major microbial cause for wine spoilage worldwide and causes significant economic losses. The reasons are the production of ethylphenols that lead to an unpleasant taint described as 'phenolic odour'. Despite its economic importance, Brettanomyces has remained poorly studied at the metabolic level. The origin of the ethylphenol results from the conversion of vinylphenols in ethylphenol by Brettanomyces hydroxycinnamate decarboxylase. However, no information is available on the vinylphenol reductase responsible for the conversion of vinylphenols in ethylphenols. In this study, a vinylphenol reductase was partially purified from Brettanomyces bruxe…

PREVENTIVE CONSERVATION

2012

Biotechnology and Cultural Heritage Conservation

2020

The deterioration of cultural asset is induced by biological, chemical, and physical factors, influenced by anthropogenic activity and environmental conditions. In this study, the contribution of biotechnology is emphasized to define the conservation strategy, for a marble Fountain (Two Dragons, XV century) located in Palermo city center, based on an integrated approach and eco-friendly procedures. Biotechnological protocols are preliminarily applied as an integrated approach, based on microscopy observation, in vitro culture and genomic DNA analysis to recognize and characterize microbial communities. Several biological systems have been identified: green algae (Chlorella) and cyanobacteri…

Heterotrophic microorganisms in deteriorated medieval wall paintings in southern Italian churches

2008

The Campania region in southern Italy is noted for its large number of churches that harbour invaluable frescoes, dated from the beginnings of the 4th up to the 13th century. The wall paintings represent an integral part of the monuments, and their deterioration constitutes a potentially significant loss for the world's cultural heritage. Heterotrophic microorganisms such as bacteria and mould can grow on the surface of paintings that contain a wide range of organic and inorganic constituents, and provide different ecological. niches that are exploited by a large variety of microbial. species. We isolated and identified the heterotrophic microorganisms found in the biodegraded medieval wall…

Fungi and Bacteria in Indoor Cultural Heritage Environments: Microbial-related Risks for Artworks and Human Health

2016

Cultural heritage constitutive materials can provide excellent substrates for microbial colonization, highly influenced by thermo-hygrometric parameters. In cultural heritage-related environments, a detrimental microbial load may be present both on manufacts surface and in the aerosol. In this study, bacterial and fungal colonisation has been investigated in three Sicilian confined environments (archive, cave and hypogea), each with peculiar structures and different thermo-hygrometric parameters. Particular attention has been paid to microorganisms able to induce artifacts biodeterioration and to release biological particles in the aerosol (spores, cellular debrides, toxins and allergens) p…

Characterization of microbial communities in pest colonized books by molecular biology tools

2011

This work presents the identification of bacteria and fungi colonies in insect infesting books, by cultural-independent methodologies based on molecular biology techniques. Microbial genomic DNA extraction,<em> in vitro</em> amplification of specific target sequences by polymerase chain reactions (PCR), sequencing and sequence analysis were performed. These procedures minimized the samples amount, optimized the diagnostic studies on bacteria and fungi colonization and allowed the identification of many species also in complex microbial consortia. The molecular techniques for sure accomplish and integrate the microbiological standard methods (<em>in vitro</em>&nbs…

Rolling resistance contribution to a road pavement life cycle carbon footprint analysis

2016

Purpose Although the impact of road pavement surface condition on rolling resistance has been included in the life cycle assessment (LCA) framework of several studies in the last years, there is still a high level of uncertainty concerning the methodological assumptions and the parameters that can affect the results. In order to adopt pavement carbon footprint/LCA as a decision-making tool, it is necessary to explore the impact of the chosen methods and assumptions on the LCA results. Methods This paper provides a review of the main models describing the impact of the pavement surface properties on vehicle fuel consumption and analyses the influence of the methodological assumptions related…

Insight on bacteria communities in outdoor bronze and marble artefacts in a changing environment

2022

Epilithic bacteria play a fundamental role in the conservation of cultural heritage (CH) materials. On stones, bacterial communities cause both degradation and bioprotection actions. Bronze biocorrosion in non-burial conditions is rarely studied. Only few studies have examined the relationship between bacteria communities and the chemical composi- tion of patinas (surface degradation layers). A better comprehension of bacterial communities growing on our CH is fundamental not only to understand the related decay mechanisms but also to foresee possible shifts in their compo- sition due to climate change. The present study aims at (1) characterizing bacterial communities on bronze andmarble s…

La sociedad y el espacio público

2019

El espacio público y los actos de la propia sociedad, ¿hasta dónde llega el límite de unos para que comience el derecho de los otros? Son muchas las actuaciones que se suceden en la vía pública y que tienen una repercusión, en la mayoría de los casos, negativa para el paisaje urbano. En esta fina línea, entre la preservación del paisaje urbano y los derechos que la ley confiere a los ciudadanos, se enmarcan las ordenanzas de convivencia ciudadana como el mecanismo adecuado que normativice las conductas que inciden en el espacio público. Se juzga imprescindible analizar las normas de convivencia que presiden nuestro país, a fin de dar con soluciones ecuánimes que garanticen la viabilidad de …