Evaluation of biodeterioration control methods for fungal damage on paper based cultural heritage materials

Authors

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.37558/gec.v29i1.1415

Keywords:

Biocide, Ethanol, Eurotium sp., Penicillium sp., Vacuum cleaning

Abstract

Fungal deterioration is one of the main threats to the conservation of paper documents, compromising both their physical and aesthetic integrity. Despite this, many institutions lack specific research evaluating the effectiveness of methods used to control fungal biodeterioration. This study assessed the effectiveness of ethanol at concentrations of 70%, 75%, and 80%, as well as mechanical vacuum cleaning, in controlling Eurotium sp. and Penicillium sp. isolated from historical manuscripts. The treatments were analyzed both independiently and in combination. The results challenge traditional recommendations, by demonstrating that 70% ethanol concentration is not fully effective against Eurotium sp. and Penicillium sp., two fungal genera commonly found in archives and libraries. Notably, the combined treatment -vacuum cleaning followed by the application of 80% ethanol-proved particularly effective, highlighting its potential as a viable strategy for controlling biodeterioration in historical documents.

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Author Biographies

María Domínguez Rojas, Universidad Militar Nueva Granda

María Domínguez Rojas is an undergraduate Biology student at the Universidad Militar Nueva Granada. She is currently involved in a research project focused on the evaluation of natural extracts and essential oils from plants as antifungal agents for the conservation of movable cultural heritage. Her interests center on the development of ecological strategies for the control of biodeterioration, through the use of natural products and traditional knowledge from Latin America. This experience represents her first formal engagement with scientific research applied to heritage conservation and has strengthened her commitment to this interdisciplinary field that bridges biology, microbiology, and cultural heritage management.

Maria Alejandra García Luna, Universidad Militar Nueva Granda.

María Alejandra García Luna is an undergraduate Biology student at the Universidad Militar Nueva Granada. She has a strong interest in microbiology, particularly in the study of microorganisms and their application across different areas of biology. Throughout her academic training, she has participated in research experiences related to the conservation of cultural heritage, which have allowed her to explore the role of microorganisms in biodeterioration processes and their control. While her main focus lies within the broader field of microbiology, she is especially interested in applying this knowledge in interdisciplinary contexts such as heritage conservation, environmental health, and biological control.

Juan Sebastián Valencia , Universidad Externado de Colombia

Conservator-Restorer of Cultural Heritage from Universidad Externado de Colombia. Master’s degree in design of Cultural Spaces and Experiences from the Higher School of Design of Barcelona (ESDESIGN) and the International University of Valencia, Spain. Has extensive knowledge in areas related to the conservation and restoration of cultural heritage, particularly in preventive conservation; conservation and restoration of easel painting, mural painting, paper, and graphic and documentary materials; polychrome wooden sculpture; ceramics; and pre-Hispanic metalwork. For the past 23 years to the present, has been involved in academia and university teaching within the Cultural Heritage Conservation and Restoration program at the Faculty of Cultural Heritage Studies, Universidad Externado de Colombia. Since 2016, has served as lead conservator-restorer of the Restoration Workshop of the Franciscan Community, Province of Santa Fe in Colombia.

Esra Keles , Department of Conservation and Archive

Esra Keleş was born in Istanbul and have a PhD in Molecular Biology and Genetics from Istanbul Kültür University, where her doctoral research focused on the molecular identification of microbial communities responsible for the deterioration of historical manuscripts. She completed her undergraduate studies in Biology at Istanbul University, and later earned a master’s degree in Forest Entomology and Conservation with a thesis on The Damage And Control of Stegobium Paniceum (L.) to Manuscripts and Rare Printed Books. From 2009 to 2017, she worked at the Süleymaniye Manuscript Library, and since 2017, she has been working as a Book Pathologist at the Department of Conservation and Archive. Her areas of expertise include diagnosing and preventing biological deterioration in manuscripts, analyzing microbial communities, implementing integrated pest management strategies in library environments, and applying cold and anoxic disinfestation techniques. Keleş is also actively involved in the field of biocodicology, exploring how DNA and protein analyses can contribute to the preservation of historical manuscripts.

María Camila Patiño R, Universidad Externado de Colombia

Industrial Microbiologist, Master in Museology and Heritage Management from the Universidad Nacional de Colombia, obtained a Master's degree in Diagnosis of the State of Conservation of Historical Heritage from the Universidad Pablo de Olavide in Seville, Spain. Specialist in University Teaching. She works in the lines of care and management of collections, processes of biodeterioration of materials and preventive conservation, integrating scientific analysis in decision making. Professor of Biology Applied to Heritage Conservation at the Universidad Militar Nueva Granada, and currently teaches at the Faculty of Cultural Heritage Studies at the Universidad Externado de Colombia and is the coordinator of the Cultural Heritage Research Center (CIPAC) at the same institution.

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Published

2026-05-07

How to Cite

Domínguez Rojas, M., García Luna, M. A., Sebastián Valencia , J., Keles , E., & Patiño R, M. C. (2026). Evaluation of biodeterioration control methods for fungal damage on paper based cultural heritage materials. Ge-conservacion, 29(1), 144–156. https://doi.org/10.37558/gec.v29i1.1415

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Vol. 29 No. 1 (2026): Ge-conservación Nº29

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