Fungal Biodeterioration of Paper: How are Paper and Book Conservators Dealing with it? An International Survey
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Sílvia O. Sequeira
Sílvia O. Sequeira is currently a PhD student in the paper conservation area in the Department of Conservation and Restoration in New University of Lisbon. She has studied in the field of paper preservation and conservation since 1999. She has worked as a paper conservator in the Tropical Research Institute (IICT) for six years. Since 2005 she has also been an assistant professor in the Conservation and Restoration Course (BA and MA levels) from the New University of Lisbon, and a supervisor of research projects and master thesis in the paper conservation area.
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Eurico J. Cabrita
Eurico Cabrita graduated in 1994 in “Applied Chemistry” at Faculdade de Ciências e Tecnologia, Universidade Nova de Lisboa. He obtained is PhD in Organic Chemistry in 1999 from Universidade Nova de Lisboa, and did his post-doctoral research with Stefan Berger in Leipzig University, Germany, from 2000 to 2002. He moved back to Portugal in 2003 as an Assistant Researcher at the Associate Laboratory REQUIMTE, in Caparica, before becoming Assistant Professor in the Chemistry Department of Faculdade de Ciências e Tecnologia in 2004. Eurico Cabrita was distinguished with the “Medalha Vicente de Seabra” from the Portuguese Chemical Society in 2010. He his currently the coordinator of the Portuguese Nuclear Magnetic Resonance Network.Maria Filomena Macedo , graduated in Biology by Faculdade de Ciências e Tecnologia, Universidade de Coimbra (Portugal) in 1994. She got her PhD degree in Environmental Engineering by Faculdade de Ciências e Tecnologia, Universidade Nova de Lisboa (FCT-UNL), in 2002. Her Post-Doc was developed in the Preventive Conservation area at the Canadian Conservation Institute. Currently she is an Assistant Professor in Departamento de Conservação e Restauro (FCT-UNL), where she teaches “Preventive Conservation” and “Biology in Conservation”. She has supervised various Master theses and 4 PhD theses. She is a member of the European Network for Conservation-Restoration Education (ENCoRE) since 2004, also a member of ICOM-CC since 2009.
Abstract
Paper biodeterioration by fungi has always been a concern in archives, libraries and museums. Several guidelines have been published regarding the prevention of fungal development in paper collections and recovery of affected objects, but what is actually being implemented from the literature by worldwide paper and book conservators? How common is this type of biodeterioration? What needs to be further studied? In order to access this information we conducted an online international questionnaire with participants from 20 different countries. The results show that fungal biodeterioration is highly common in paper collections. All of the respondents already had to deal with paper deteriorated by fungi, and although the vast majority uses active measures to prevent fungal development, most of them have already experienced active fungal infestations. The mainly used preventive measures are the ones concerned with the control of the environmental conditions in storage and display rooms. Drying the affected paper objects and applying 70% ethanol are the most preferred options to stop active fungal growth. The study of non-toxic and safer antifungals is considered here as the most relevant research topic in the area of paper biodeterioration by fungi, meaning that the options currently available are not totally satisfactory.
Zusammenfassung
Biologische Abbauprozesse von Papier aufgrund von Pilzbefall. Wie gehen Papier- und Buchrestauratoren damit um? Eine internationale Umfrage
In Archiven, Bibliotheken und Museen ist der biologische Abbau von Papier ein häufiges Problem. Zwar gibt es mehrere Richtlinien zur Vermeidung von Schimmel und Pilzbefall und dafür, wie man betroffenes Archivmaterial reinigen kann. Doch es fehlen umfassende Informationen über die möglichen Ursachen bei biologischer Zersetzung von Papier. Wie häufig kommt der biologische Abbau vor? Welche Präventionsmaßnahmen gibt es? Wie kann man befallenes Papier in seinen ursprünglichen Zustand wiederherstellen? Was muss in diesem Bereich untersucht und entwickelt werden? Wo gibt es noch Forschungsbedarf?
Um Zugriff auf diese Informationen zu bekommen, ließen wir Papier-und Buchrestauratoren einen internationalen Fragebogen zukommen. Es wurde von der Conservation DistList verteilt und wurde von Teilnehmern aus 20 verschiedenen Ländern beantwortet.
Aus den Antworten ging hervor, dass biologischer Abbau durch Pilze in Papiersammlungen ein relativ häufiges Problem ist. Nahezu alle Befragten gaben an, von Pilzen befallenes Papier bereits behandelt zu haben. Die Mehrzahl nutzt zwar vorbeugende Maßnahmen, um die Entwicklung von Pilzen frühzeitig zu verhindern, doch die meisten haben Pilzbefall an Papier bereits erlebt. Gegenmaßnahmen kamen vor allem während der Kontrolle von Lager- und Ausstellungsräumen zur Anwendung. Die meisten gaben an, das Papier zu trocknen oder es mit Ethanol (70%) zu behandeln, um das Pilzwachstum zu stoppen.
Wie die Untersuchung zeigt, sind die genannten Maßnahmen gegen Pilzbefall nicht zufriedenstellend. Auf dem Gebiet des biologischen Zerfalls von Papier gibt es hinsichtlich Präventions- und Gegenmaßnahmen demnach weiteren Forschungsbedarf.
Résumé
Biodétérioration fongique du papier: Comment sont les conservateurs en train de traiter ça? Une enquête internationale
Biodétérioration de papier par des fongus est un problème fréquent dans les archives, bibliothèques et musées. Actuellement, il existe plusieurs lignes directrices publiées pour la prévention du développement fongique et la récupération des collections affectées, mais il n’y a aucune information concernant le véritable panorama de la biodétérioration fongique des collections de papier. Quelle est la fréquence de ce type de biodégradation? Quelles sont les méthodes préventives et curatives mises en place? Que faut-il davantage étudié et développé?
Afin d’accéder a cette information, nous avons mené un questionnaire international aux conservateurs de papier et livres. Il a été distribué par Conservation DistList et a eu des participants de 20 pays différents.
Les résultats montrent que la biodétérioration fongique est très commun dans les collections sur papier. Tous les répondants ont déjà dû faire face à papier détérioré par des fongus, et bien que la grande majorité utilise des mesures actives pour prévenir de développement des fongus, la plupart d’entre eux ont déjà connu des infestations fongiques actives. Les mesures préventives principalement utilisés sont ceux concernés par le contrôle des conditions environnementales dans les locaux de stockage et d’affichage. Le séchage des objets en papier affectés et l’application d’éthanol à 70%, sont les options plus privilégiées pour arrêter la croissance des infestations fongiques actives. L’étude des antifongiques non-toxiques et plus sûr, est considéré ici comme sujet de recherche le plus pertinent dans le domaine de la biodégradabilité du papier par des fongus, ce qui signifie que ceux actuellement disponibles ne sont pas totalement satisfaisantes.
About the authors
Sílvia O. Sequeira is currently a PhD student in the paper conservation area in the Department of Conservation and Restoration in New University of Lisbon. She has studied in the field of paper preservation and conservation since 1999. She has worked as a paper conservator in the Tropical Research Institute (IICT) for six years. Since 2005 she has also been an assistant professor in the Conservation and Restoration Course (BA and MA levels) from the New University of Lisbon, and a supervisor of research projects and master thesis in the paper conservation area.
Eurico Cabrita graduated in 1994 in “Applied Chemistry” at Faculdade de Ciências e Tecnologia, Universidade Nova de Lisboa. He obtained is PhD in Organic Chemistry in 1999 from Universidade Nova de Lisboa, and did his post-doctoral research with Stefan Berger in Leipzig University, Germany, from 2000 to 2002. He moved back to Portugal in 2003 as an Assistant Researcher at the Associate Laboratory REQUIMTE, in Caparica, before becoming Assistant Professor in the Chemistry Department of Faculdade de Ciências e Tecnologia in 2004. Eurico Cabrita was distinguished with the “Medalha Vicente de Seabra” from the Portuguese Chemical Society in 2010. He his currently the coordinator of the Portuguese Nuclear Magnetic Resonance Network.
Maria Filomena Macedo, graduated in Biology by Faculdade de Ciências e Tecnologia, Universidade de Coimbra (Portugal) in 1994. She got her PhD degree in Environmental Engineering by Faculdade de Ciências e Tecnologia, Universidade Nova de Lisboa (FCT-UNL), in 2002. Her Post-Doc was developed in the Preventive Conservation area at the Canadian Conservation Institute. Currently she is an Assistant Professor in Departamento de Conservação e Restauro (FCT-UNL), where she teaches “Preventive Conservation” and “Biology in Conservation”. She has supervised various Master theses and 4 PhD theses. She is a member of the European Network for Conservation-Restoration Education (ENCoRE) since 2004, also a member of ICOM-CC since 2009.
Acknowledgments
We would like to thank all the participants of this questionnaire, the population test group that allowed the improvement of the survey and Professor Luís Ramos for the helpful discussions. We would like to address a special acknowledgment to the Conservation DistList manager who besides allowing us to distribute the questionnaire throughout this e-mailing list also provided us with the information regarding the number of registered users.This study has been funded by Fundação para a Ciência e Tecnologia, Ministério da Ciência, Tecnologia e Ensino Superior, Portugal, through a doctoral grant (SFRH/BD/72216/2010), and by the Project PEst-C/EQB/LA0006/2013.
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©2014 by Walter de Gruyter Berlin / Boston
Articles in the same Issue
- Frontmatter
- The “Schinkel’s Legacy” Project at the Kupferstichkabinett Berlin
- ATWISE: An Innovative Apparatus for Efficiently Documenting Watermarks in Manuscripts
- Methods of Creating, Testing and Identifying Traditional Black Persian Inks
- Fungi in Fox Spots of a Drawing by Leon Wyczółkowski
- Fungal Biodeterioration of Paper: How are Paper and Book Conservators Dealing with it? An International Survey
Articles in the same Issue
- Frontmatter
- The “Schinkel’s Legacy” Project at the Kupferstichkabinett Berlin
- ATWISE: An Innovative Apparatus for Efficiently Documenting Watermarks in Manuscripts
- Methods of Creating, Testing and Identifying Traditional Black Persian Inks
- Fungi in Fox Spots of a Drawing by Leon Wyczółkowski
- Fungal Biodeterioration of Paper: How are Paper and Book Conservators Dealing with it? An International Survey
