New Strategies in the Conservation of Cultural Heritage from Biodeterioration

Microbial colonization of cultural heritage objects is inevitable. Microorganisms cause physical, chemical, and aesthetic alteration in valuable works of art, leading to the loss of both financial and cultural value. To prevent and control microbial colonization and their growths, physical, chemical, and biological methods are used. However, physicochemical methods are often ineffective on treated works of art, and can be dangerous for people involved in the conservation process. Due to inherent characteristics, chemical compounds and biocides, they are hazardous for humans, animals, and the environment. Given the significant weaknesses of these conventional methods, new approaches are continuously being developed to reduce the negative impact of deteriogenic microorganisms. These new approaches are environmentally friendly, safe, low-cost and low-risk. However, more research is needed to monitor the safety and effectiveness of these approaches. The lack of simple, reliable and standard measurements remains a limitation in the selection ofeffective treatments. Field experiments are necessary and useful for evaluating the effectiveness of these methods however, their design and implementation face several challenges. Therefore, researchers are seeking to develop methods to investigate how these new approaches work. Laboratory model systems are tools for testing the efficacy of antimicrobial compounds before field application on art works. In this study, we will first review the types of biological control methods, and then introduce the new and environmentally friendly approaches, that have been developed in this field. Finally, we will discuss methods of testing the effectiveness of new strategies using laboratory model systems.