Determination of indoor air quality in archives and the biodeterioration of the documentary heritage

SOFÍA BORREGO; PAOLA LAVIN; IVETTE PERDOMO; SANDRA GUIAMET; PATRICIA GUIAMET

International Scholar Research Network Microbiology- ISRN Microbiology

Hindawi Publishing Corporation

Lugar: Nueva York; Año: 2012

2090-7478

Documentary heritage is permanently subject to suffering from physical, chemical and/or biological alterations. Biological deterioration by microorganisms (bacteria and fungi) causes undesirable changes on material properties. Microorganisms affect different organic, natural or synthetic substrates (cellulose, polycarbonates), metals and compounds of optical and magnetic devices (CD, VHS). Paper made by vegetal fibers, functional additives (glue, load, optical polishers, consolidating agents) and inks with organic bindings are used as sources of nutrients. The environmental microorganisms that form the microbial charge of indoor air at repositories (archives, libraries) storing cultural heritage can deteriorate the different supports of heritage importance and affect human health. The aims of this research were to study microbial contamination of the environment and its influence on biodeterioration by the biofilm formation and to analyze the relationship between environment microbiota and biofilm formation in materials stored at three archives in Argentina and in two repositories of the National Archive of the Republic of Cuba