A. MICHELUZ, S. MANENTE, R. GANZERLA, G. RAVAGNAN
Molecular Sciences and Nanosystem Dept.
Calle Larga S. Marta 2137, Dorsoduro, 30123 Venice (Italy)
Keywords: Aerobiology Indoor Air Cultural Heritage Human Health
Introduction
Proper management of specific indoor environments, such as whose that preserve Cultural Heritage, can not be separated by taking into account the impact that they may have on human health. Particular interests are the Historical Archives, where cellulolytic microfungi and bacteria have a very confortable environment for their development. In fact, one of the major cause of degradation of the paper is the biodeterioration, which it develops specially with particular environmental conditions. Therefore, it is necessary to study also the aerobiology linked with environmental Archive, to understand the conservation state of the documents and, also, the possible risk for the Archive's operators and for people who frequent these environments.
Methods
• Seasonal environmental monitoring (T °C and RH%)
• Dust monitoring (PM10, PM2.5) with Laser photometer DustTrack Aerosol Monitor
• Seasonal aerobiological sampling: active (Volumetric Sampler Buck-VSSTM) and passive (Petri dishes with MEA-Malt Extract Agar- and NA-Nutrient Agar-)
• Biological characterization of deposited dust: Microbial Buildup (MB, number of microorganisms accululated on a certain surface during 30 seconds of sampling) and Hourly Microbial Fallout (HMF, number of microorganisms that fall out on a certain surface during 1 hour)
• Biological characterization of Archival Documents HIGHLIGHTS
Sick building syndrome (SBS)
Situation in which occupants of a building experience acute health effects that seem to be linked to time spent in a building, but no specific illness or cause can be identified. The complaints may be localized in a particular room or zone, or may be widespread throughout the building.
Aerobiology
Science that studies the biological aerosol, such as bacteria, fungal spores, insect, pollen and virus, and its effects on the impactor surfaces.
Summer sampling periods: from 13/09/11 to 16/09/11
Winter sampling periods: from 07/02/12 to 16/02/12 Autumn sampling periods: from 21/11/11 to 28/11/11
Study case
Contemporary Political History Archives site in Ca' Tron, Treviso (Italy) in the Veneto countryside
Results
4 2 1 Sampling areas Alternaria 10% Aspergillus 16% Botry=s 1% Cladosporium 34% Epicoccum 3% Fusarium 4% Yeast 1% Myrothecium 1% Mucor 1% Penicillium 9% Scopulariopsis 1% Stachybotrys 1% Trichoderma 1% Ulocladium 1% Sterile mycelium 1% Unknown 9% Basidiomycetes 1%Main fungal genera isolated
References
Camuffo, D., et all (1999). Indoor air quality at the Correr Museum, Venice, Italy. The Science of the Total Environmental 236, pp. 135-152. D.L. 112/1998, art. 150, comma 6, Atto di indirizzo sui criteri tecnico-scientifici e sugli standard di funzionamento e sviluppo dei musei, G.U. n.24 (supplemento), 238, 19 ottobre 2001.
Pasquarella, C., Pitzurra, O., Savino, A., (2000). The index of microbial air contamination. Journal of Hospital Infection 46, pp. 241-256
Pasquarella, C., et all (2011). Proposal for an integrated approach to microbial environmental monitoring in cultural heritage: experience at the Correggio exhibition in Parma. Aerobiologia 27, pp. 203-211.
Samson, R.A., Hoekstra, E.S., Frisvad, J.C. (2004). Introduction to Food and Airborne Fungi. ASM Press, Netherlands.
Conclusions
The monitoring and the analyses carried out in the Archive emphasized:
- a general lack of stability in the parameters of T °C and RH%, essential for an ideal conservation of the archival documents, (UNI 10829 normative range 13-18 °C ±1,5 °C and RH 50-60% ±5%);
- aggravation of cleanliness conditions of the Archive, measured by means of suspended particles monitoring, in particular PM10 and PM2.5;
- the main fungal genera of outdoor environments have been detected: Alternaria, Ulocladium and Cladosporium, but most of all we singled out the chief genera that colonize indoor and typically cellulolytic settings: Aspergillus, Penicillium, Stachybotrys chartarum, Trichoderma viride and Myrothecium. These genera, together with Fusarium and Mucor are known as highly allergenic for humans.
Air Sampling Docume nt’s Surf ace Sampling
Aspergillus malignus Cladosporium sp.
Botrytis cinerea Fusarium sp. 0 50 100 150 200 250 1 2 3 4 UF C/dm 3
Sampling indoor areas
"Summer" "Autumn" "Winter" Active Sampling 0 5 10 15 20 25 30 35 40 45 50 1 2 3 4 UF C/dm 2/h
Sampling indoor areas
"Summer" "Autumn" "Winter" Passive Sampling on MEA
0 10 20 30 40 50 60 1 2 3 4 UF C/dm 2/h
Sampling indoor areas
"Summer" "Autumn" "Winter" Passive Sampling on NA
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Summer sampling periods: from 13/09/11 to 16/09/11
Autumn sampling periods: from 21/11/11 to 28/11/11
Winter sampling periods: from 07/02/12 to 16/02/12 Legal limit
Legal limit
Legal limit
Sampling areas Autumn MB
(UFC/dm2) Autumn HMF (UFC/dm2) Winter MB (UFC/dm2) WinterHMF (UFC/dm2)
A. Like area 2 508 640 334 790
B. Like area 2
but on the floor Uncountable Uncountable 3229 1320 C. Central
bookcase
196 231 236 231
D. Like area 3 375 404 185 202
E. Bookcase
near area 4 594 565 Uncountable 1326
It belongs to the same group of A. fumigatus, principal responsable of Aspergillosis.
In Italy, its presence in the workplace is governed by these normative references: - D. Lgs 81/2008 (ex D. Lgs. 626/94) and subsequent changes D. Lgs. 106/09; - 2000/54/CE directive.
