Giuseppe Lustrato

Biotechnology applied to cultural heritage: biorestoration of frescoes using viable bacterial cells and enzymes

Aims:u2002 To set up and employ, for the biorestoration of cultural heritage (altered frescoes), an advanced and innovative biotechnology method based on the sequential use of whole viable bacterial cells and specific enzymes.

Effects of low electric current (LEC) treatment on pure bacterial cultures

Aims: This research focused on the effects of low electric current (LEC) on the cell viability and metabolic activity of Escherichia coli and Bacillus cereus.

Effects of low electric treatment on yeast microflora

Aims: To contribute to the understanding of phenomena related to different intensity electric current treatments on the growth and metabolism of selected micro‐organisms using laboratory samples of pure and co‐cultures (Saccharomyces cerevisiae strain 404 and Hanseniaspora guilliermondii strain 465).

Scaling-up in industrial winemaking using low electric current as an alternative to sulfur dioxide addition.

Aims:u2002 To better understand the outcome of employing low electric current (LEC) technology as a new preservation and alternative in wine technology, and to contribute to its development. It is used in industrial‐scale winemaking with commercial yeast (Saccharomyces cerevisiae) during the grape must fermentation.

Chemical and Biological Combined Treatments for the Removal of Pesticides from Wastewaters

The combination of chemical oxidation (Fenton reaction) and biological treatment processes is a promising technique aiming to reduce recalcitrant wastewater loads. Preliminary tests were carried out on two widely used toxic and non-biodegradable pesticides, namely, Dazomet and Fenamiphos. The chemical reaction was employed as a pre-treatment step for the conversion of the substrates into oxygenated intermediates that were easily removed by means of a final biological treatment. In the combined action, the mineralisation activity of a selected microbial consortium was used to degrade residual volatile and non-volatile organic compounds into CO2 and biomass.

The Effects of Biochar and Its Combination with Compost on Lettuce (Lactuca sativa L.) Growth, Soil Properties, and Soil Microbial Activity and Abundance

Impacts of biochar application in combination with organic fertilizer, such as compost, are not fully understood. In this study, we tested the effects of biochar amendment, compost addition, and their combination on lettuce plants grown in a soil poor in nutrients; soil microbiological, chemical, and physical characteristics were analyzed, together with plant growth and physiology. An initial screening was also done to evaluate the effect of biochar and compost toxicity, using cress plants and earthworms. Results showed that compost amendment had clear and positive effects on plant growth and yield and on soil chemical characteristics. However, we demonstrated that also the biochar alone stimulated lettuce leaves number and total biomass, improving soil total nitrogen and phosphorus contents, as well as total carbon, and enhancing related microbial communities. Nevertheless, combining biochar and compost, no positive synergic and summative effects were observed. Our results thus demonstrate that in a soil poor in nutrients the biochar alone could be effectively used to enhance soil fertility and plant growth and biomass yield. However, we can speculate that the combination of compost and biochar may enhance and sustain soil biophysical and chemical characteristics and improve crop productivity over time.

Biocleaning of Cultural Heritage stone surfaces and frescoes: which delivery system can be the most appropriate?

The use of the advanced biotechnology of microbiological systems for the biological cleaning of Cultural Heritage (CH) has been recently improved and optimized taking into account different factors. Biocleaning systems have been indeed applied to historic buildings, statue,s and frescoes. Such application has developed new techniques and optimised and refined the existing systems. These systems remove altered forms like sulfate and nitrate crusts and organic substances like animal glue in a more effective, less invasive way than the traditional cleaning techniques. This review focuses on several delivery systems (sepiolite, hydrobiogel-97, cotton wool, carbogel, mortar and alginate beads, agar, and arbocel) used for the biocleaning of Cultural Heritage, comparing their main properties and characteristics, making a critical evaluation on how easy they can be applied, and on their future potentiality as ready-to-use and risk-free formulates. Therefore, this review will help conservation scientists, conservator-restorers, and researchers in the field to choose the most appropriate delivery system for any specific applications.