Aerobiology is the science that studies the biological component of the atmosphere and its effects on living systems and on the environment. This term was used for the first time in 1935, but the attention of scientists to the biological component of the atmosphere goes back to 1769, when the Italian biologist Spallanzani carried out a series of experiments that disproved the concept of spontaneous generation of life and proved the presence of viable microorganisms in the air. Aerobiology has marked characteristics of interdisciplinarity: its application fields range from respiratory diseases to the airborne outbreak of animal and vegetal diseases and to the biodegradation of substances and materials. The latter is the subject of this book. The purpose of aerobiological research applied to the conservation of cultural heritage is to evaluate the risk of alteration by airborne microorganisms of materials forming artefacts of historical, artistic and archaeological interest. Airborne spores and vegetative structures may develop on different substrates and may be a cause of degradation, in relation to the types of materials, the microclimatic situation and the pollution of the conservation environments. The qualitative and quantitative evaluation of the biological component of air, performed by means of targeted analysis campaigns, and of the characteristics of materials and environments, supplies indispensable information for the evaluation of the actual risk and the planning of interventions. This book is divided into four main parts.

Contributors. Preface. Acknowledgements. 1: Introduction to Biodeterioration and Human Health. 1. The Biological Aerosol as a Factor of Biodeterioration. 1.1. Biological Alteration Processes and Conditioning Factors. 1.2. Biodeterioration of Materials Forming Pieces. 1.3. Aerobiology Applied to Cultural Heritage. 2. Pathogenic Microorganisms and Situations of Risk to Man. 2. Introduction. 2.1. Indoor Pollution and Effects on Human Health. 2.2. Biological Pollution and Risk Situations. 2.3. Studies on the Quality of Air in Libraries and Archives. 2: Environmental Measurements for Aerobiological Monitoring. 3. Measurement of Environmental Physical Parameters. 3. Introduction. 3.1. Measurement of Physical Parameters. 3.2. Measuring Methods. 3.3. Influence of Physical Parameters on the Development of Organisms that Promote Biodeterioration. 4. Chemical Parameters and Development of Biodeteriogens. 4.1. Types of Pollutants. 4.2. Pollutants Promoting the Growth of Microorganisms. 4.3. Growth-Inhibiting Pollutants. 4.4. Detection of Pollutants. 4.5. Data Processing. 3: Methods and Measurement Techniques for Aerobiological Monitoring. 5. Monitoring the Biological Aerosol. 5. Introduction. 5.1. Principles of Atmospheric Dispersion of Particles. 5.2. Sampling Principles. 5.3. Sampling Equipment. 5.4. Strategy of Aerobiological Sampling Techniques. 6. Analysis of the Biological Aerosol. 6. Introduction. 6.1. Methods of Analysis of Biological Aerosol. 6.2. Bacteria and Actinomycetes. 6.3. Fungi. 6.4. Cyanobacteria and Algae. 6.5. Lichens. 6.6. Higher Plants and Mosses. 4: Aerobiological Monitoring for the Preservation of Cultural Heritage. 7. Libraries and Archives. 7. Introduction. 7.1. Specific Contexts. 7.2. State of Researches of Aerobiology in Archives and Libraries. 7.3. Aerobiological Sampling in Libraries and Archives. 8. Museums. 8. Introduction. 8.1. Aspects to be Considered. 8.2. State of Aerobiological Researches in Museums. 8.3. Aerobiological Sampling in Museums Environments. 9. Churches and Hypogea. 9. Introduction. 9.1. Types of Environments and their Microclimates. 9.2. Types of Materials Preserved. 9.3. Biodeteriogens. 9.4. State of Aerobiological Research on Churches and Hypogea. 9.5. Aerobiological Sampling in Churches and Hypogea. 10. Outdoor Environments. 10. Introduction. 10.1. Specific Goals. 10.2. Types of Materials Exposed and Conditions of Exposure. 10.3. Biodeteriogens of Materials Used in Buildings. Index. Colour Plates.

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