Laboratory of Technologies for Heritage Materials, University of Neuchâtel, Bellevaux 51, 2000 Neuchâtel, Switzerland; Haute Ecole Arc Conservation-restauration, HES-SO, Espace de l'Europe 11, 2000 Neuchâtel, Switzerland.
Laboratory of Microbiology, University of Neuchâtel, Emilie-Argand 11, 2000 Neuchâtel, Switzerland.
N Biotechnol. 2020 May 25;56:21-26. doi: 10.1016/j.nbt.2019.11.003. Epub 2019 Nov 6.
While often considered as harmful for cultural heritage, microorganisms can also be used for its safeguarding. The methods used so far for the conservation-restoration of cultural heritage are often unsatisfactory in terms of efficiency and durability. Inhibitors or complexing agents are also toxic and pose potential threats to human health and to the environment. Microbial-based technologies can provide sustainable solutions for heritage conservation-restoration using ecologically friendly biological treatments. Over the last decades, the development of biological methods and materials has become a significant alternative for the preservation of ancient heritage. Of particular note, microbial metabolisms are exploited to consolidate, clean, stabilize or even protect surfaces of cultural items. Taking advantage of unique properties of microorganisms, reactive corrosion products are extracted or converted into biogenic minerals that provide the treated surfaces with long-term stability. Examples of the techniques proposed include the formation of passivating biogenic layers that can be applied for preservation of metal-based heritage, as well as the development of methods for the preventative removal of iron species from waterlogged wood. This review presents the current advance made in research aiming to preserve copper- and iron-based artefacts, in particular sculptures but also archaeological objects, as well as in the development of a method for the extraction of iron species from waterlogged wood.
虽然微生物通常被认为对文化遗产有害，但它们也可以用于保护文化遗产。迄今为止，用于文化遗产保护修复的方法在效率和耐久性方面往往不尽如人意。抑制剂或络合剂也具有毒性，对人类健康和环境构成潜在威胁。基于微生物的技术可以为文化遗产的保护修复提供可持续的解决方案，使用生态友好的生物处理方法。在过去的几十年中，生物方法和材料的发展已成为保护古代遗产的重要替代方法。值得注意的是，微生物代谢物被用于加固、清洁、稳定甚至保护文物表面。利用微生物的独特特性，可以提取或转化反应性腐蚀产物为生物成因矿物，为处理后的表面提供长期稳定性。所提出的技术示例包括形成钝化生物层，可用于保护基于金属的遗产，以及开发从浸水木材中预防性去除铁物种的方法。本综述介绍了旨在保护铜和铁基文物（特别是雕塑，但也包括考古对象）的研究进展，以及开发从浸水木材中提取铁物种的方法的最新进展。
