Answer to Question #265475 in Microbiology for Ene

Question

Explain the biodeterioration of the following structures:

1. Museum buildings

2. Aircrafts (in transportation)

3. Railways, rail lines and coaches.

Answer 1

Bacteria, archaea, fungi and lichens as well as insect pests are constantly causing problems in the conservation of cultural heritage because of their biodeteriorative potential. This holds true for all types of historic artefacts and even for art made of modern materials (e.g., polymers; Sabev et al. 2006) in public museums and in private art collections. Fungi, bacteria and lichens are also found on mural paintings in churches, caves and catacombs, and even as biodeteriogens of architectural surfaces and stone monuments in outdoor environments .