Protection of cultural heritage artifacts from biodeterioration
The activities of the team of biologists at the Centre for Research and Conservation of Cultural Heritage focus on the biodeterioration of cultural heritage objects and aim to support their conservation.
Biodeterioration, which refers to damage caused by the harmful activity of living organisms, affects both organic substrates – paper, canvas, leather, parchment, and wood – as well as inorganic materials – stone, brick, and glass.
The service offer of our team is aimed at institutions, businesses, or private individuals who own or store cultural heritage objects. We invite cooperation particularly from libraries, archives, museums, parishes, conservation companies, architectural offices, and private collectors if they identify issues caused by biological factors within their collections. We analyze the storage conditions of objects in rooms with respect to the causes of biodeterioration, identifying sources and the extent of room moisture and examining the microbiological quality of the air. The microbiological quality of the air, which refers to the quantity and types of microorganisms present in the air, is an important parameter in assessing the storage conditions of artifacts. We focus on identifying organisms, mainly microorganisms and insects, responsible for biodeterioration of cultural heritage objects, examining the extent of damage and the mechanisms behind it. We propose measures and methods to protect cultural heritage from biodeterioration, including evaluating the need for object disinfection, recommending biocides and disinfection methods, or suggesting other approaches to mitigate the risks posed by microorganisms and insects.
The laboratory operates within the Laboratory for Research and Conservation of Paper and Leather.
contact information:
- e-mail: karber@umk.pl; zkpis@umk.pl
- phone: 56 611 38 70; 56 611 38 29 (30)
