BioACHs
Biodegradation Assessment for Cultural Heritage surfaces and substrates
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Grant agreement ID: TECSPR18-1-0095
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Total project budget: 132.351,89€
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Start Date: 01/09/2019
End Date: 01/09/2021
The activity of microorganisms such as bacteria, fungi, algae and lichens, and their interaction with hosting material surface and substrate having specific chemical-physical characteristics are considered among the main agents responsible for aesthetic and structural damage to Cultural Heritage (CH) artefacts and structures.
The study of microorganisms, their biological activity and structural characteristics, the environments in which they grow, and their interaction with material surfaces and substrates, are considered central to the understanding of CH mid and long-term deterioration and to the planning of appropriate conservation strategies, both before and after the damage occurred.
The aim of BioACHs is to design and develop open source hardware, portable devices for non-destructive analysis and monitoring of biofilm formation, growing and interactions on CH surfaces and substrates. It is expected that the BioACHs-‘Biodegradation Assessment for Cultural Heritage surfaces and substrates’ devices would enhance CH operators ability to provide a fast and accurate identification of microorganisms, monitoring in progress biodegradation processes, and plan and check conservation intervention.
