Fungal contamination of paintings and sculptures inside an art - - PowerPoint PPT Presentation

Fungal contamination of paintings and sculptures inside an art repository: Considerations on the suitability of current norms and reference values concerning preventive conservation.

Mesquita, N., Paiva de Carvalho, H., Trovão, J., Fernandez-Rodriguez, S., Pinheiro, A.C., Gomes, V., Alcoforado, A., Gil, F., Portugal, A.

The Machado de Castro National Museum

Remarkable Museum in the city of Coimbra, Established in 1913 Holds a vast asset of sacral artworks, paintings, textiles and sculptures

The Machado de Castro National Museum

Built over a Roman Cryptoporticus (dated I a.C) Hosted the Political, Administrative and Religious life of Aeminium The ancient roman name of the city of Coimbra

The Machado de Castro National Museum

It was recently modernised by the architect Gonçalo Byrne New facilities, storage rooms and HVAC systems

The Story Cut Short

The museum remodelling and reconstruction process took a few years Some art works (sculptures and paintings) were covered by plastic foils This created micro-environments that facilitated fungal establishment and growth Absence of proper agent identification allowed their growth, and eventual cross-contamination A preventive conservation issue…

Fungal Contamination of Sculptures and Paintings

Fungal Contamination of Sculptures and Paintings

Objectives

• Assess the diversity of fungal contaminants (air and objects)
• Relate the species with the observed deterioration phenomena
• Ascertain the cross-contamination and spreading potential of propagules

The Storage Room

The Storage Room

Located below ground Equipped with proper HVAC systems Regularly monitored RH - Stabilised to 60% * Regularly monitored Temperature - Stabilised to 21ºC * (* Recommended values; Bickersteth, 2016)

Fungal Isolation - Air Analysis

Air sampling Fungal propagules were collected in 12 different sampling points In each season, during a 1-year period Using a Biocollector (SAS Super ISO 100) Into Malt Extract Agar plates (with streptomycin) Incubated at 28ºC for 7 days

XII

XI X I IV VII

II V VIII

III VI IX

Painting storage room I-XII : Sampling points

Surface sampling Fungi were isolated from: 7 Contaminated Sculptures (Wood) 8 Contaminated Paintings (Wood board and Canvas) Using Sterile Cotton Swabs Malt Extract Agar and Potato Dextrose Agar (with streptomycin) Incubated at 28ºC for 7 days

Fungal Isolation - Surface samples

Fungal Identification Workflow

All samples (direct and air sampling) isolated into axenic cultures DNA extraction ITS Region amplification by PCR Sanger Sequencing BLAST run Molecular identification complemented with morphological identification

Results - Surface - Isolated Species

Aspergillus sclerotiorum Aspergillus versicolor Chaetomium globosum Penicillium citrinum Penicillium copticola Penicillium oxalicum Penicillium sp. Phlebiopsis gigantea Pithomyces chartarum

Sculptures Paintings

Aspergillus ustus Aspergillus versicolor Chaetomium globosum Daldinia sp.

Results - Air - Isolated Species

Air sampling 150 fungal isolates 24 genera 43 species

8 15 23 30 Alternaria alternata Alternaria infectoria Arthrinium arundinis Aspergillus fumigatus Aspergillus ochraceus Aspergillus versicolor Bjerkandera adusta Botrytis cinerea Chaetomium globosum Cladosporium cladosporioides Cladosporium sp. Daldinia concentrica Engyodontium album Epicoccum nigrum Eutypella scoparia Gloeoporus dichrous Hyphodermella corrugata Hyphodermella rosea Lecanicillium tenuipes Ochroconis mirabilis Penicillium carneum Penicillium cecidicola Penicillium chrysogenum Penicillium citrinum Penicillium citrionigrum Penicillium copticola Penicillium corylophilum Penicillium crustosum Penicillium dendriticum Penicillium funiculosum Penicillium olsonii Penicillium purporogenum Penicillium ramulosum Penicillium sp. Penicillium spinulosum Phanerochaete sordida Phlebia subserialis Phlebiopsis gigantea Pithomyces chartarum Psathyrella candolleana Schizophyllum commune Stereum hirsutum Trametes versicolor Summer Autumn Winter Spring

Results - Air - Isolated Species

8 15 23 30 Alternaria alternata Alternaria infectoria Arthrinium arundinis Aspergillus fumigatus Aspergillus ochraceus Aspergillus versicolor Bjerkandera adusta Botrytis cinerea Chaetomium globosum Cladosporium cladosporioides Cladosporium sp. Daldinia concentrica Engyodontium album Epicoccum nigrum Eutypella scoparia Gloeoporus dichrous Hyphodermella corrugata Hyphodermella rosea Lecanicillium tenuipes Ochroconis mirabilis Penicillium carneum Penicillium cecidicola Penicillium chrysogenum Penicillium citrinum Penicillium citrionigrum Penicillium copticola Penicillium corylophilum Penicillium crustosum Penicillium dendriticum Penicillium funiculosum Penicillium olsonii Penicillium purporogenum Penicillium ramulosum Penicillium sp. Penicillium spinulosum Phanerochaete sordida Phlebia subserialis Phlebiopsis gigantea Pithomyces chartarum Psathyrella candolleana Schizophyllum commune Stereum hirsutum Trametes versicolor Summer Autumn Winter Spring

Results - Air - Isolated Species

hazardous for human health according to portuguese guidelines

8 15 23 30 Alternaria alternata Alternaria infectoria Arthrinium arundinis Aspergillus fumigatus Aspergillus ochraceus Aspergillus versicolor Bjerkandera adusta Botrytis cinerea Chaetomium globosum Cladosporium cladosporioides Cladosporium sp. Daldinia concentrica Engyodontium album Epicoccum nigrum Eutypella scoparia Gloeoporus dichrous Hyphodermella corrugata Hyphodermella rosea Lecanicillium tenuipes Ochroconis mirabilis Penicillium carneum Penicillium cecidicola Penicillium chrysogenum Penicillium citrinum Penicillium citrionigrum Penicillium copticola Penicillium corylophilum Penicillium crustosum Penicillium dendriticum Penicillium funiculosum Penicillium olsonii Penicillium purporogenum Penicillium ramulosum Penicillium sp. Penicillium spinulosum Phanerochaete sordida Phlebia subserialis Phlebiopsis gigantea Pithomyces chartarum Psathyrella candolleana Schizophyllum commune Stereum hirsutum Trametes versicolor Summer Autumn Winter Spring

Results - Air - Isolated Species

If we add some other references and guidelines, the list increases

8 15 23 30 Alternaria alternata Alternaria infectoria Arthrinium arundinis Aspergillus fumigatus Aspergillus ochraceus Aspergillus versicolor Bjerkandera adusta Botrytis cinerea Chaetomium globosum Cladosporium cladosporioides Cladosporium sp. Daldinia concentrica Engyodontium album Epicoccum nigrum Eutypella scoparia Gloeoporus dichrous Hyphodermella corrugata Hyphodermella rosea Lecanicillium tenuipes Ochroconis mirabilis Penicillium carneum Penicillium cecidicola Penicillium chrysogenum Penicillium citrinum Penicillium citrionigrum Penicillium copticola Penicillium corylophilum Penicillium crustosum Penicillium dendriticum Penicillium funiculosum Penicillium olsonii Penicillium purporogenum Penicillium ramulosum Penicillium sp. Penicillium spinulosum Phanerochaete sordida Phlebia subserialis Phlebiopsis gigantea Pithomyces chartarum Psathyrella candolleana Schizophyllum commune Stereum hirsutum Trametes versicolor Summer Autumn Winter Spring

Results - Air - Isolated Species

reported as potential biodeteriogens to art objects in museum environments

Results - Air - CFU Counts

Summer Autumn Winter Spring I 15 30 20 50 II 20 30 30 13 III 50 50 45 IV 20 13 15 50 V 20 50 10 50 VI 30 70 42 10 VII 28 18 13 10 VIII 45 10 80 10 IX 23 18 38 13 X 20 30 25 50 XI 25 10 45 13 XII 30 45 32 15 Average 27,17 31,17 32,92 23,67

CFU counts / m3 per sample point / season

Results - Isolated Species

Matching species between paintings and sculptures: Aspergillus versicolor and Chaetomium globosum Matching species between air samples isolates and the artworks: Aspergilus versicolor, Chaetomium globosum, Penicillium copticola, Penicillium citrinum, Phlebiopsis gigantea and Pithomyces chartarum

Results - Isolated Species

Despite the “according-to-guidelines” CFU counts inside the room (< 100 CFU/m3), controlled temperature and RH, and presence of HVAC systems with HEPA filters: Many fungal species with biodeterioration capability were found Several potentially harmful species (according to portuguese guidelines) were present Cross-contamination and dispersion were likely to occur in this repository

Examples of guidelines regarding CFUs

Country Reference Limit (CFU/m3) Poland Cieplik (1997) 150 for a mixture of several species 50 for particular species 500 for common airborne fungal contaminants Karbowska-Berent, Górny, Strzelczyk & Wlazło, 2011 200 France Parchas, 2009 120 Flieder & Capderou, 2000 100 Italy MIBAC, 2001 150 The Netherlands Dutch National archives Brokerhof, van Zanen, & den Teuling, 2007

• 0-25, no expected problems
• 25-100, possible presence of source, further testing needed
• 100-1000, source present, mould often observed on objects
• 1000, active mould growth

Discussion - The Storage Room

HVAC system inside the room probably acts as a dispersion vector for fungal contamination

• if air flow is not strong enough to move propagules to the filters, then it will act more as a

dispersion mechanism

• spore release and deposition through gravity exists regardless

The controlled climate conditions did not avoid fungal contamination and growth

• micro-niches will become available even in controlled environments

No evidence of contamination on the surfaces of this room (walls, shelves and ceiling).

Discussion - Recommendations

Complete, reiterated cleaning and disinfection of the repository Adequate and regular cleaning of art objects Periodic cleaning of the room and shelves to prevent accumulation of dust particles Mandatory quarantine chamber for the artworks before entering the storage room Replace the use of plastic foils for artwork protection by a porous material In a more technical perspective, HVAC designs should be optimised for these scenarios.

Final Remarks

Different sampling points are essential to understand the cross-contamination potential Air analysis as assessment tool is insufficient: some organisms are only present on objects Correct identification of contaminants is crucial to design proper intervention measures Quantity (CFU) ≠ Quality : Some species are more harmful than others, even in lower counts Correct handling and cleaning of the affected objects is straightforward and mandatory Strict collaboration between scientists/microbiologists with museum conservators and curators is required in order to address such issues.

Acknowledgements

A special thank you to: The staff from the Machado de Castro National Museum; André da Marça Teixeira for the 3D rendered images of the storage room. Photo credits: Miguel Mesquita, The MNMC Archive,

• Dr. Ana Alcoforado,

ADF/DGPC (José Paulo Ruas and José Pessoa). Funding: This work is financed by FCT/MEC through national funds and the co-funding by the FEDER, within the PT2020 Partnership Agreement, and COMPETE 2020, within the project UID/BIA/04004/2013. This work was financed also by Portuguese Funds through FCT- Fundação Ciência e Tecnologia in the framework of the project CleanArt - PTDC/EPH-PAT/0224/2014. Nuno Mesquita was supported by POCH - Programa Operacional Capital Humano (co-funding by the European Social Fund and national funding by MCTES), with a Post-Doc Research grant (SFRH/BPD/112830/2015).