Cultural heritage risk analysis models: An overview

The risk assessment is a critical step in achieving, defining and supporting the decision-making process. In this context, in the past two decades, an increase in the number of models for assessing/analysis of risks applied to collections and/or immobile cultural heritage was observed. The present work consists of the first review of the literature, from 1999 to 2016, on risk assessment applied to movable and immovable cultural heritage. A total of twenty-seven risk assessment models have been compiled that can be applied to different types of cultural heritage such as: immovable property (26%) and movable property (74%). It was possible to conclude that approximately 48% of the risk analysis models are quantitative, 19% are semi-quantitative and 33% of the models are qualitative. Two different tables were created in order to help the reader: one for movable and another to immovable cultural heritage. These tables compile information to characterize the models (name, type, applicability, examples, date and references). The advantages and disadvantages of using each model was discuss in a separated table.publishersversionpublishe

Mapping and characterization of a green biofilm inside of Vilar de Frades Church (Portugal)

Vilar de Frades church is integrated in the Vilar de Frades Monastery, located in the North part of Portugal (Barcelos). The monastery, founded in 566, suffered several architectural modifications and restoration works, the most relevant was in the XVI century. The church, in granite, has one nave and six bays,holding ten chapels with vaults of crossed ribbings. Nowadays, the chapels present a severe biological colonization characterised by an intense green biofilm, which becoming apparent in other locations inside the church. In the course of a general survey concerning the conservation state of the church, an accurate campaign was planned in order to assess the main biodeterioration agents, map biological colonization and determine the environmental conditions. Laboratory analyses were accomplished with optical microscopy and spectrofluorometry. This study presents the results of this campaign. Details on conservation or preservation works that need to be implemented are also presented

PROJETO ‘VIDA DE ESTUDANTE’: REDIMENSIONANDO O MÉTODO DE PESQUISA E DIAGNÓSTICO EM GESTÃO DA SAÚDE E QUALIDADE DE VIDA DO ESTUDANTE

O projeto ‗Vida de Estudante‘ visa à promoção da saúde e da qualidade de vida do estudante universitário, buscando garantir sua permanência produtiva na universidade e, em tempo regulamentar, além da constituição de dispositivos institucionais que possam contribuir para potencializar seu desenvolvimento acadêmico e social. Para além da tradicional concepção de que a saúde humana se circunscreve à condição de ‗ausência de doenças‘, entendemos que a mesma é reflexa da complexidade das questões sociais que afetam a vida cotidiana comunitária, resultante indelével das condições existenciais de uma população. Neste sentido, o projeto toma como meta um movimento institucional de Promoção de Saúde, construindo estratégias gestoras que conciliem bem-estar social, a ação política, promoção de ambiência saudável e mudanças nos estilos de vida estudantil. Através de dados estatísticos recentemente levantados nas IFES brasileiras, detectamos a necessidade complementar de dar visibilidade as reais condições de saúde e qualidade de vida dos estudantes através de um documentário intitulado ―Vida de Estudante‖, considerado instrumento valioso de escuta e pesquisa, a partir do qual poderemos problematizar o tema junto aos estudantes e elaborar ações co-participativas e democráticas, a fim de apoiá-los dentro do paradigma da ética e da cidadania

Fungi in archives, libraries, and museums: a review on paper conservation and human health

PTDC/EPH-PAT/0224/2014. POCI-01-0145-FEDER-PTDC/EPHPAT/3345/2014.The action of fungi on books, documents, maps, and works of art on paper can result in inestimable cultural losses. Plus, some of the fungi present in paper documents, surfaces and air from archives, libraries and museums are also a threat to human health. This work aims to review the literature on the most important and frequent microfungal populations found in paper-based collections all over the world, and correlate these data with human health risks. A total of 71 studies, dating between 1997 and 2018 were reviewed and organized. From 27 different countries, 207 fungal genera and 580 species were reported. Chaetomium sp. and Fusarium sp. were found to be special contaminants in the air of archives and have been associated with paper biodeterioration. The most common fungi reported (e.g. Penicillium, Aspergillus, and Alternaria species) have an impact on paper conservation but can also cause adverse human health effects. The most frequent fungal species retrieved from discoloured paper materials are discussed in greater detail. Considerations on methods of identification and quantification of fungal contamination are also presented. Finally, the authors acknowledge an urgent need for standardizing research in this area and further studies are proposed.publishersversionpublishe

Anatase as an alternative application for preventing biodeterioration of mortars: evaluation and comparison with other biocides

International Biodeterioration & Biodegradation 64(2010)388 e 396The aim of this study is the comparison between different treatments(anatase and two conventional biocides:Biotin T and Anios)for preventing biodeterioration of mortars.The treatments were applied both in the laboratory on mortar slabs and in situ on walls of Palácio Nacional da Pena(Sintra,Portugal). Mortar slabs treated with anatase (pure and Fe3þ doped)applied as acoating or by mixing within the mortar were prepared,and their surfaces characterized by different methodologies.The mortars were inoculated with cyanobacteria and chlorophyta species,incubated for a period of 4 months and the chlorophyll content quantified by extraction method and fluorescence emission.For comparison purposes untreated mortar slabs were inoculated,incubated and finally treated with the biocides.After two weeks the respective chlorophyll contents was quantified. In situ studies in two external walls of Palácio Nacional da Pena covered by organisms were also performed by direct application of aqueous solutions of the three products,and the efficiency of the treatment monitored by spectrophotometry using the CIELAB method.Lichens and other phototrophic microorganisms were identified by direct observation with a microscope and cyanobacteria,green microalgae, bacteria and fungi by DNA-based molecular analysis targeting the 16S and 18S ribosomal RNAgenes. The results show that anatase is a better agent for preventing biodeterioration than the two tested conventional biocides,both in mortars slabsand in situ studies.In fact,photographic and colorimetric records made in two external walls of Palácio Nacional da Pena after two weeks of treatments application showed that lichens and other phototrophic microorganisms disappear from the places where anatase was applied

Biodiversity of cyanobacteria and green algae on monuments in the Mediterranean Basin: an overview

Microbiology (2009), 155, 3476–3490The presence and deteriorating action of micro-organisms on monuments and stone works of art have received considerable attention in the last few years. Knowledge of the microbial populations living on stone materials is the starting point for successful conservation treatment and control. This paper reviews the literature on cyanobacteria and chlorophyta that cause deterioration of stone cultural heritage (outdoor monuments and stone works of art) in European countries of the Mediterranean Basin. Some 45 case studies from 32 scientific papers published between 1976 and 2009 were analysed. Six lithotypes were considered: marble, limestone, travertine, dolomite,sandstone and granite. A wide range of stone monuments in the Mediterranean Basin support considerable colonization of cyanobacteria and chlorophyta, showing notable biodiversity. About 172 taxa have been described by different authors, including 37 genera of cyanobacteria and 48 genera of chlorophyta. The most widespread and commonly reported taxa on the stone cultural heritage in the Mediterranean Basin are, among cyanobacteria, Gloeocapsa, Phormidium and Chroococcus and, among chlorophyta, Chlorella, Stichococcus and Chlorococcum. The results suggest that cyanobacteria and chlorophyta colonize a wide variety of substrata and that this is related primarily to the physical characteristics of the stone surface, microclimate and environmental conditions and secondarily to the lithotype

Application of Biology to Cultural Heritage

Funding: This work was supported by National Funds through FCT-Portuguese Foundation for Science and Technology under the contracts EECIND/ 02598/2017 (A.C. Pinheiro).publishersversionpublishe

Growth of phototrophic biofilms from limestone monuments under laboratory conditions

International Biodeterioration & Biodegradation,xxx (2009) 1–8In the current study, five phototrophic biofilms from different Southern Europe limestone monuments were characterised by molecular techniques and cultivated under laboratory conditions. Phototrophic biofilms were collected from Orologio Tower in Martano (Italy), Santa Clara-a-Velha Monastery and Ajuda National Palace, both in Portugal, and Seville and Granada Cathedrals from Spain. The biofilms were grown under laboratory conditions and periodically sampled in order to monitor their evolution over a three-month period. Prokaryotic communities from natural samples and cultivated biofilms were monitored using denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis (DGGE) of PCR-amplified 16S rRNA gene fragments in conjunction with clone sequencing and phylogenetic analysis. DNA-based molecular analysis of 16S rRNA gene fragments from the natural green biofilms revealed complex and different communities composition with respect to phototrophic microorganisms. The biofilms from Orologio Tower (Martano,Italy) and Santa Clara-a-Velha Monastery (Coimbra, Portugal) were dominated by the microalga Chlorella. The cyanobacterium Chroococcidiopsis was the dominating genus from Ajuda National Palace biofilm(Lisbon, Portugal). The biofilms from Seville and Granada Cathedrals (Spain) were both dominated by the cyanobacterium Pleurocapsa. The DGGE analysis of the cultivated biofilms showed that the communities developed differently in terms of species establishment and community composition during the threemonth incubation period. The biofilm culture from Coimbra (Portugal) showed a remarkable stability of the microbial components of the natural community in laboratory conditions. With this work,a multiple-species community assemblage was obtained for further stone colonisation experiments

Health(y) librairies?

Em arquivos e bibliotecas a presença de fungos é considerada nefasta pelas suas implicações na conservação e leitura de documentos históricos e pela sua associação a problemas de saúde sentidos pelos funcionários e utentes que frequentam estes locais. De acordo com alguns autores, os problemas de saúde mais reportados por funcionários em Bibliotecas e Arquivos são dermatite, rinite, alergias e asma. Embora revestida de inegável importância, existem poucos estudos internacionais sobre a temática e, em Portugal, a contaminação fúngica em ambiente arquivístico e em bibliotecas é ainda muito pouco conhecida. O estudo realizado em quatro Arquivos Portugueses teve como objectivo conhecer a contaminação fúngica, contribuindo para a análise da qualidade do ar interior desses espaços e sua comparação com estudos internacionais. Para isso foram recolhidas amostras de ar e de superfícies e estas foram analisadas por métodos clássicos de cultura e, quando necessário, por métodos de biologia molecular. A avaliação foi feita quantitativa e qualitativamente, considerando os requisitos legais em vigor. No que respeita à análise do ar, o número de unidades formadoras de colónias (UFC)/m3 nunca excedeu as 500 (limite legislado), tendo sido verificada contaminação interior em todos os locais estudados. Comparativamente aos estudos realizados anteriormente em contextos semelhantes foram encontrados níveis elevados de contaminação por leveduras nas amostras de ar analisadas em Arquivos Portugueses. Não foi identificado nenhum fungo patogénico neste estudo, mas em quase todas as amostras estavam presentes fungos potencialmente toxinogénicos. Dentro do grupo dos Aspergillus, o A.versicolor mostrou predominância, tendo este fungo reconhecidas capacidades de emissão de micotoxinas em ambiente de interior. A inclusão de amostras de superfície revelou-se vital para conhecer todo o espectro fúngico existente em cada um dos locais estudados, incluindo a detecção de Stachybotrys chartarum e a do fungo potencialmente queratinofílico, Chrysosporium carmichaelli. Tanto para a saúde como para a conservação, o recente estudo realizado em quatro arquivos permitiu retirar importantes conclusões e reforçar a necessidade de vigilância, sendo também útil para a definição de padrões de qualidade no campo do património cultural.ABSTRACT - Fungal presence in archives and librairies is considered worrisome for its implications in the conservation of historical documents and for its association with health issues reported by staff and public attending these premises. Dermatitis, rhinitis, allergies and asthma are the most frequently mentioned health problems. Despite its undeniable importance, this issue has seldom been studied abroad and, in Portugal, the context of fungal contamination in archives and librairies is still somewhat unknown. The study developed in four Portuguese Archives was designed to analyse indoor fungal contamination as a part of an indoor air quality evaluation. Air and surface samples were performed and analysed by both classical culturing methods and molecular biology protocols. The qualitative and quantitative results were compared to international data and current legislation. As far as air samples are concerned, the number of colony forming units (CFU) never exceeded the limit value of 500, with indoor contamination in all studied locations. Compared to previous studies in similar settings, the number of yeasts was higher in Portuguese Archives. No potentially pathogenic fungus was identified but potentially toxinogenic fungi were present in almost every sample taken. Within the Aspergillus group, A.versicolor was the most represented and this fungus has proven the ability to produce mycotoxins in indoor environments. Surface samples proved invaluable in revealing the spectra of fungal contamination, allowing the detection of Stachybotrys chartarum and the potentially keratinophylic Chrysosporium carmichaelli. For both health and conservation, this study allowed important conclusions to be drawn, namely the need for staff protection, environmental surveillance and definition of quality standards for Cultural Heritage

The influence of inherent properties of building limestones on their bioreceptivity to phototrophic microorganisms

Annals of Microbiology, 59 (4) 705-713 (2009)The influence of open porosity, water absorption capillarity, water vapour permeability, surface roughness, stone pH and chemical composition on stone bioreceptivity to phototrophic microorganisms was assessed by means of a thorough stone characterisation with subsequent artificially inoculation of limestone samples with a multi-species phototrophic culture and placing them inside a growth chamber for 90 days. A principal component analysis and an analysis of variance(ANOVA) were carried out in order to evaluate the direct relationships between stone bioreceptivity and petrophysical properties. From the principal component analysis, two main components were obtained and assigned a petrophysical/photosynthetic biomass meaning. Stone bioreceptivity, quantified by the amount of chlorophyll a and intensity of chlorophyll a fluorescence present on the stone samples after 90 days-incubation, was included in both principal components. The first component was linked to the amount of chlorophyll a and was highly and linearly associated to capillarity and roughness,and less associated with open porosity and water vapour permeability. The second component, linked to the intensity of chlorophyll a fluorescence measured on the stone surfaces, was not linearly associated with the petrophysycal properties,showing the fallibility of this in vivo chlorophyll quantification technique on the estimation of photosynthetic biomass growing on stone materials, particularly when endolithic growth occurs