ISSUE: Microorganisms including bacteria, fungi, and archaea can colonize and grow in almost any environment. This can thus affect the Art Restoration industry because it can include objects of cultural heritage such as paintings, historical stone monuments and buildings, and archaeological wood.
IMPACT: Biodeterioration is a collective term for a variety of processes where the presence of microorganisms and their activities and byproducts (e.g., enzymatic degradation, acid corrosion) cause aesthetic and even structural damage to works of art and objects of cultural heritage.
PATH TO RESOLUTION: Our Molecular Biological Tools (MBTs) help you make better informed art restoration remediation decisions. Not all microorganisms are susceptible to the same biocides and antimicrobial treatments. Therefore, thorough and accurate identification of the microorganisms present is a crucial component of selecting an appropriate treatment approach.
• Identify microorganisms present to help in selecting treatment approaches
• Generate an overall profile of bacterial or fungal community
• Quantify total or specific microbial groups of interest for monitoring
