J Grau-Bové

Fine particulate matter in indoor cultural heritage: a literature review

Fine particulate matter is, on account of its aerodynamic properties and typical composition (especially diesel particulate matter and carbonaceous particles) the particulate pollutant potentially most harmful to cultural heritage, representing an aesthetic issue and an agent of chemical degradation simultaneously. This paper reviews the current knowledge of the life-cycle of fine particulates, focussing on diesel particulate matter from emission to deposition, including its aesthetic and chemical consequences, and draws attention to some imbalances in the current state of research. The currently available measurements are biased towards coarse dust, and information on the consequences of particle deposition is largely restricted to the outdoor environment. More evidence on the chemical effects of the most common types of fine particulate matter in typical indoor materials is needed to enable risk assessment for indoor collections.

Classifying degraded modern polymeric museum artefacts by their smell

Abstract The use of VOC analysis to diagnose degradation in modern polymeric museum artefacts is reported. Volatile organic compound (VOC) analysis is a successful method for diagnosing medical conditions but to date has found little application in museums. Modern polymers are increasingly found in museum collections but pose serious conservation difficulties owing to unstable and widely varying formulations. Solid‐phase microextraction gas chromatography/mass spectrometry and linear discriminant analysis were used to classify samples according to the length of time they had been artificially degraded. Accuracies in classification of 50–83 % were obtained after validation with separate test sets. The method was applied to three artefacts from collections at Tate to detect evidence of degradation. This approach could be used for any material in heritage collections and more widely in the field of polymer degradation.

The Influence of Water Activity and Air Movement in Preventing Mould in Historic Materials

The Influence of Water Activity and Air Movement in Preventing Mould in Historic Materials Morena Ferreira, Josep Grau-Bove, Luca Mazzei, Nigel Blades, Tobit Curteis, Hector Altamirano and Jane Faull Institute of Sustainable Heritage, University College London, London, UK; Department of Chemical Engineering, University College London, London, UK; National Trust for England, Wales and Northern Ireland, London, UK; Tobit Curteis Associates LLP, Cambridge, UK; Institute for Environmental Design and Engineering, University College London, London, UK; Department of Biological Sciences, University of London, Birkbeck, UK

New Perspectives on the Study of Particulate Matter Deposition within Historic Interiors

ABSTRACT This paper proposes a new way of interpreting particulate matter deposition indoors. The rate of deposition of dust in surfaces is presented as the result of the combination of two main factors: the concentration of suspended particles close to surfaces, and their capacity to deposit, expressed as the deposition velocity. We suggest that either of these two factors can be altered in order to mitigate deposition. The implications of this perspective are explored using in-situ measurements in a historic property (Apsley House, London) and a computational fluid dynamics model of aerosol deposition. The cases studied involve the effect of outdoor wind on the ingress of particles, the consequences of leaving the main door open, and the effects of the ventilation system on deposition. The results demonstrate that simulations can be used reliably to explore hypothetical scenarios or situations that would be experimentally challenging. The inputs and outputs of the computational model are discussed in view of its usability in preventive conservation.

The Role of Heritage Data Science in Digital Heritage

The advance of all forms of digital and virtual heritage alongside numerous heritage science and management applications have led to the generation of growing amounts of heritage data. This data is increasingly rich, diverse and powerful. To get the most out of heritage data, there is an evident need to effectively understand, manage and exploit it in a way that is sensitive towards its context, responding to its singularities, and that can allow heritage to keep up with global changes regarding expansion of digital technologies and the increasing role of data in decision making and policy development. Through conversations with industry and academia, as well as through their personal research in the field of cultural heritage, the authors have identified a need for enhanced training for data scientists to prepare them for working in the heritage sector. This paper first proposes a definition of the term heritage data, so far missing from the literature, and then presents the academic rationale behind the identified need for targeted training in data science for cultural heritage.