Biodeterioration of Art objects on Paper and their Conservation

Abstract

The Botanical specimens, manuscripts, books paintings, paper craft and various other material of cultural heritage provides an ideal substrate for the growth and proliferation of several fungi and probably in most of the cases they get liberated in the ambient air. Biodeterioration is any undesirable changes in the properties of materials caused by vital activities of microorganisms. The present paper deals with the microbes present of the paper paintings with great emphasis on their role in damaging paintings as well as measures for control. The airspora present on the paper paintings from different places visited has been studied and the record for entire year prepared. Over 20 fungal species were identified several fungal species of Aspergillus and Alternaria were found dominating from all the experimental sites, followed by species of Cladosporium, Fusarium, Curvularia, Chaetomium, mycelia sterillia, Penecillium, Trichoderma, Phoma and Cephalosporium showed their presence during several months. Deterioration of paintings cause by microbes is a serious problem throughout the world. Fungi are abundant on the earth with high ecological adoptability. Fungal activity damage paintings through discoloration, colored stains and flaking of paint layers. One of the biggest problem in the control of microbial deterioration of paper paintings is not only to prevent the growth of microbes, but also to kill them without damaging the paintings, keeping this in view, out of various biocides α-aminoisobulyric acid (AIB) showed inhibitory action and preventing growth of hyphal stage and it is suggested that this may be used as effective biocide for control of microbial growth on paper.