Article
Biotechnology & Applied Microbiology
Wenxia Ma, Fasi Wu, Jie Li, Qi Zhang, Xiaoju Yang, Ji-Dong Gu, Wanfu Wang, Huyuan Feng
Summary: The Mogao Grottoes, a UNESCO World Cultural Heritage site, have been affected by microbial colonization and deterioration of the wall paintings, resulting in the appearance of black spots and microbial biomasses. Next-generation sequencing and microscopy were used to identify the microbial community responsible for the biodeterioration. Rhodococcus and Ralstonia were found to be the dominant bacteria, while Aspergillus species were the predominant fungi in the black spots and microbial biomasses. Radioactive carbon-14 dating suggested that the original mural was painted during the Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms period, with repainting most likely occurring during the Song Dynasty. The outbreak of indigenous microbes on the wall paintings was likely initiated by earthen plaster preparation or heavy rainfall combined with a leaky roof.
INTERNATIONAL BIODETERIORATION & BIODEGRADATION
(2023)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Andrea Timoncini, Federica Costantini, Elena Bernardi, Carla Martini, Francesco Mugnai, Francesco Paolo Mancuso, Enrico Sassoni, Francesca Ospitali, Cristina Chiavari
Summary: Epilithic bacteria play a crucial role in the conservation of cultural heritage materials by both causing degradation and providing bioprotection. This study characterized and compared bacterial communities on bronze and marble statues, revealing significant differences in composition and abundance. Marble surfaces exhibited high microbial diversity, dominated by Cyanobacteria, Proteobacteria, and Deinococcus-Thermus, while bronze patinas showed low taxadiversity, mainly composed of copper-resistant Proteobacteria.
SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT
(2022)
Article
Chemistry, Physical
Andrea Macchia, Romina Strangis, Sara De Angelis, Marica Cersosimo, Antonella Docci, Michela Ricca, Bartolo Gabriele, Raffaella Mancuso, Mauro Francesco La Russa
Summary: Biodeterioration is a common degradation process in cultural heritage conservation, and chemical treatments can be harmful to the environment and operators. Deep eutectic solvents (DESs) are an eco-friendly alternative that can be used to treat biologically deteriorated stone surfaces. This study tests five different DESs and the preliminary results show promising potential for their application in the field of cultural heritage.
Article
Environmental Sciences
Xinghua Ding, Wensheng Lan, Aixin Yan, Yiliang Li, Yoko Katayama, Ji-Dong Gu
Summary: The study conducted a metadata analysis on the microbial sequencing data available from NCBI database to determine the diversity, biodeterioration potential, and functionality of stone microbiomes on world cultural heritage sites under different climatic conditions. The microbial communities on stone monuments were found to be associated with climate types, with stone monuments in dry climates showing higher diversity. Functions related to photosynthesis and UV resistance were identified in different climate types. The research highlighted the diverse and self-sustaining nature of these stone-dwelling microbiomes, driven by energy metabolism and biomass accumulation, with biochemical reactions of nitrogen and sulfur cycles being predominant.
JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT
(2022)
Article
Green & Sustainable Science & Technology
Yang Yang, Zhengyun Wang, Han Shen, Naipeng Jiang
Summary: In the context of cultural heritage tourism, tourists' emotional experience is influenced by their cognitive evaluation of the natural and humanistic environment. This experience further enhances tourists' cultural identity and heritage conservation behavior. This study constructed a research model based on emotional evaluation and positive emotional expansion and found that positive emotional experience positively influences tourists' cultural identity and heritage conservation behavior in the cultural heritage tourism context. The results of this study will contribute to the theoretical research on emotions in cultural heritage tourism and help enhance tourists' cultural identity and heritage conservation behavior from the perspective of emotional experience.
Article
Microbiology
Jiangyun Liu, Fasi Wu, Ting Xiang, Wenxia Ma, Dongpeng He, Qi Zhang, Wanfu Wang, Yulong Duan, Tian Tian, Huyuan Feng
Summary: Microbial colonization poses a threat to the conservation of subterranean cultural heritage sites. This study focuses on the microbial colonization on murals in tombs and analyzes the diversity of culturable bacteria and fungi using culture-dependent methods. The results show that the composition and structure of airborne bacteria and fungi outside the tomb are significantly different from those inside. The weak aerosol circulation between the inside and outside environments of the tomb suggests that the outside environment has yet to impact the air microbial community inside. Selective colonization of microorganisms mediated by interaction with special microenvironmental factors plays a significant role in the biodeterioration of murals.
FRONTIERS IN MICROBIOLOGY
(2023)
Editorial Material
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Filomena De Leo, Valme Jurado
Summary: This editorial focuses on the studies presented in the current Special Issue, highlighting advances in the field of microbial biodeterioration of cultural heritage, with a particular emphasis on new methods for their elimination and control.
APPLIED SCIENCES-BASEL
(2021)
Article
Environmental Studies
Wojciech Korbel, Filip Suchon, Marta Lapuszek
Summary: Cultural heritage conservation is an ongoing process of preserving valuable historical legacy and passing it on to future generations. Discovering previously unknown documents on nineteenth-century impoundment structures has led to proposals for restoring and preserving this cultural heritage.
Article
Computer Science, Artificial Intelligence
Tianxiu Yu, Cong Lin, Shijie Zhang, Chunxue Wang, Xiaohong Ding, Huili An, Xiaoxiang Liu, Ting Qu, Liang Wan, Shaodi You, Jian Wu, Jiawan Zhang
Summary: This paper introduces a project on Dunhuang cultural heritage protection using artificial intelligence. The project aims to use computer vision and machine learning technologies to restore and analyze the artwork in the Dunhuang Mogao Grottoes. The proposed methods include automated restoration using deep networks, detection and retrieval for analyzing a large amount of objects, and style transfer to analyze art styles over time. A new dataset called "AI for Dunhuang" is created to facilitate the research, and representative methods are benchmarked and compared.
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF COMPUTER VISION
(2022)
Article
Green & Sustainable Science & Technology
Gul Akturk, Ahmadreza Shirvani Dastgerdi
Summary: Climate change poses a significant threat to cultural landscapes, while the cultural and natural heritage of these landscapes can offer solutions to the challenges brought by climate change. The main barriers to building climate resilience in cultural landscapes include technical barriers and institutional obstacles, such as the lack of a regulatory framework for effective collaboration and cooperation.
Review
Polymer Science
Xu Zhang, Yueer Yan, Jingjing Yao, Shutong Jin, Yi Tang
Summary: This review provides a comprehensive summary of the degradation mechanisms and influencing factors of paper, analyzes the interactions among three degradation routes, introduces the evolution of kinetic models for paper degradation to evaluate its durability and expected lifetime, and summarizes the advantages and disadvantages of remedial and preventive conservation methods for paper relics.
POLYMER DEGRADATION AND STABILITY
(2023)
Article
Biotechnology & Applied Microbiology
Ji-Dong Gu
Summary: This article highlights the major achievements made by the International Biodeterioration & Biodegradation Society (IBBS) during its 50th anniversary celebration, as well as reflecting on individual experiences with the society. It also discusses the dynamic changes and new challenges faced by the society and its journal in the past decade, and emphasizes the importance of engaging young researchers and identifying new areas of investigation and development.
INTERNATIONAL BIODETERIORATION & BIODEGRADATION
(2023)
Article
Biotechnology & Applied Microbiology
Angelo Del Mondo, Gaetano Zuccaro, Mariagioia Petraretti, Antonino Pollio, Antonino De Natale
Summary: The water absorption coefficient plays a crucial role in the colonization of Nostoc sp. on stone surfaces, with tuff and brick showing the best bioreceptivity and higher colonization rates attributed to their higher values of WAC.
INTERNATIONAL BIODETERIORATION & BIODEGRADATION
(2021)
Article
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Alba Patrizia Santo, Oana Adriana Cuzman, Dominique Petrocchi, Daniela Pinna, Teresa Salvatici, Brunella Perito
Summary: The study on the white marbles of the Florence Cathedral revealed that the dark discoloration is mainly caused by the growth of black fungi and dark cyanobacteria. The conservation state of the marble and the growth pattern of microorganisms appear to be linked to microclimatic conditions, specifically solar radiation exposure. This research provides valuable information for future interventions to control microbial growth.
APPLIED SCIENCES-BASEL
(2021)
Review
Archaeology
M. Stella Romero, L. Silvana Giudicessi, G. Roxana Vitale
Summary: This study explores the relationship between biodeterioration, fungi, and bacteria, focusing on the threat posed by the fungus Aspergillus to cultural heritage objects. An exhaustive search of species involved, deterioration descriptions, and preventive treatments were conducted. The increase in species numbers necessitated a taxonomy update.
JOURNAL OF CULTURAL HERITAGE
(2021)
Article
Biotechnology & Applied Microbiology
Yulong Duan, Fasi Wu, Wanfu Wang, Ji-Dong Gu, Yanfei Li, Huyuan Feng, Tuo Chen, Guangxiu Liu, Lizhe An
INTERNATIONAL BIODETERIORATION & BIODEGRADATION
(2018)
Review
Biotechnology & Applied Microbiology
Mian Adnan Kakakhel, Fasi Wu, Ji-Dong Gu, Huyuan Feng, Khadim Shan, Wanfu Wang
INTERNATIONAL BIODETERIORATION & BIODEGRADATION
(2019)
Article
Geography, Physical
Jenny Richards, Jerome Mayaud, Hongtao Zhan, Fasi Wu, Richard Bailey, Heather Viles
EARTH SURFACE PROCESSES AND LANDFORMS
(2020)
Article
Biotechnology & Applied Microbiology
Wenxia Ma, Fasi Wu, Tian Tian, Dongpeng He, Qi Zhang, Ji-Dong Gu, Yulong Duan, Dongxu Ma, Wanfu Wang, Huyuan Feng
INTERNATIONAL BIODETERIORATION & BIODEGRADATION
(2020)
Article
Anatomy & Morphology
Mian Adnan Kakakhel, Fasi Wu, Huyuan Feng, Zubair Hassan, Ihsan Ali, Irfan Saif, Syed Zaheer Ud Din, Wanfu Wang
Summary: The study successfully synthesized silver nanoparticles using sheep blood serum and demonstrated their antibacterial activity against various bacterial species in laboratory-scale testing. While showing some toxicity in fish experiments, the nanoparticles still had a relatively high lethal concentration. Further research and monitoring are recommended for the large-scale synthesis and application of AgNPs.
MICROSCOPY RESEARCH AND TECHNIQUE
(2021)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Mian Adnan Kakakhel, Fasi Wu, Wasim Sajjad, Qi Zhang, Ikram Khan, Kalim Ullah, Wanfu Wang
Summary: The study revealed that blood-mediated silver nanoparticles had minimal impact on fish behavior at the highest concentration, but resulted in histological alterations. Additionally, bioaccumulation of silver nanoparticles was observed in different organs of the fish, with the highest accumulation in the liver, followed by the intestine, gills, and muscles. Furthermore, the study showed that bioaccumulation of silver nanoparticles led to histopathological alterations, including damaged gill tissue and necrosis, predominantly at the highest concentration tested.
ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES EUROPE
(2021)
Review
Immunology
Mian Adnan Kakakhel, Fasi Wu, Zahid Anwar, Irfan Saif, Noor ul Akbar, Naila Gul, Ihsan Ali, Huyuan Feng, Wanfu Wang
Summary: The ecosystem approach has been developed since the 1940s with a focus on the interaction of living organisms and abiotic factors. The presence of Toxoplasma gondii oocysts in soil can have significant consequences for animals and public health, highlighting the importance of preventive measures to avoid infection.
MICROBIAL PATHOGENESIS
(2021)
Article
Biology
Yulong Duan, Fasi Wu, Dongpeng He, Ji-Dong Gu, Huyuan Feng, Tuo Chen, Guangxiu Liu, Wanfu Wang
Summary: The study investigated the seasonal variation and diversity of airborne fungi at Maijishan Grottoes and found Cladosporium and Penicillium to be the predominant genera. Fungal concentrations varied with seasons and sampling locations, with spatial-temporal differences attributed to factors such as height, rainfall, humidity, and temperature. The potential threat from dominant fungi to ancient artworks highlights the importance of monitoring and control for better heritage management.
Article
Biotechnology & Applied Microbiology
Yulong Duan, Fasi Wu, Dongpeng He, Ji-Dong Gu, Huyuan Feng, Tuo Chen, Guangxiu Liu, Wanfu Wang
Summary: The study investigated microbial biofilm communities on sandstone in the Maijishan Grottoes and Tiantishan Grottoes using next-generation sequencing, finding high bacterial diversity and relatively low eukaryota diversity. It was determined that high bioreceptivity of the sandstone and locally available water were two important factors that promoted microbial colonization, proliferation, and biofilm formation.
INTERNATIONAL BIODETERIORATION & BIODEGRADATION
(2021)
Article
Biotechnology & Applied Microbiology
Dongpeng He, Fasi Wu, Wenxia Ma, Yong Zhang, Ji-Dong Gu, Yulong Duan, Ruihong Xu, Huyuan Feng, Wanfu Wang, Shi-Weng Li
Summary: The Maijishan Grottoes, a UNESCO World Cultural Heritage site on the ancient Silk Road in West China, experienced a severe microbe outbreak on the wall paintings in 2018. Analysis revealed significant changes in bacterial and fungal communities between normal wall samples and those with microbial plaques, with Actinobacteria and Trichocomaceae being dominant in normal samples and Actinobacteria and unclassified Eurotiomycetes dominating samples with plaques. Excessive air humidity was identified as a primary factor contributing to the microbe outbreak, highlighting the importance of air humidity management in preserving the ancient wall paintings.
INTERNATIONAL BIODETERIORATION & BIODEGRADATION
(2021)
Article
Biotechnology & Applied Microbiology
Yong Zhang, Fasi Wu, Min Su, Dongpeng He, Ji-Dong Gu, Qinlin Guo, Mian Adnan Kakakhel, Yue Yang, Wanfu Wang, Huyuan Feng
Summary: Climate and environmental conditions play a crucial role in the biological colonization and deterioration of stone heritage materials at open-air sites. The study found that bacterial and algal community structures were closely correlated with climate parameters, while the influence of fungal community structures was relatively minor.
INTERNATIONAL BIODETERIORATION & BIODEGRADATION
(2021)
Article
Microbiology
Yulong Duan, Jie Lian, Lilong Wang, Xuyang Wang, Yongqing Luo, Wanfu Wang, Fasi Wu, Jianhua Zhao, Yun Ding, Jun Ma, Yulin Li, Yuqiang Li
Summary: In the alpine meadow ecosystems of the Qilian Mountains in China, bacterial and eukaryota diversity increased linearly with elevation, while archaeal diversity also showed an increase but was not significant. The microbial community compositions were influenced by regional climate and local soil properties, with intradomain links being more important than interdomain links in the microbial network. The results provide insights into soil microbial diversity along elevational gradients and implications for microbial responses to climate change in alpine ecosystems.
FRONTIERS IN MICROBIOLOGY
(2021)
Article
Biotechnology & Applied Microbiology
Fasi Wu, Yong Zhang, Dongpeng He, Ji-Dong Gu, Qinglin Guo, Xiaobo Liu, Yulong Duan, Jianhua Zhao, Wanfu Wang, Huyuan Feng
Summary: The Beishiku Temple is facing serious weathering erosion and biological attacks. The study revealed that bacteria and archaea were widely distributed in biodeteriorated samples, with the Candidatus Nitrocosmicus genus showing a dominant presence in archaea with ammonia-oxidizing function. The distribution of microbial communities was mainly influenced by sunlight intensity, moisture, soluble salts, and pH.
INTERNATIONAL BIODETERIORATION & BIODEGRADATION
(2021)
Article
Geosciences, Multidisciplinary
Yulong Duan, Xuyang Wang, Lilong Wang, Jie Lian, Wanfu Wang, Fasi Wu, Yulin Li, Yuqiang Li
Summary: The study investigated the geographic diversity patterns of soil microorganisms in the deserts of northern China's Hexi Corridor. The results showed that bacteria and eukaryotic diversity increased with longitude and altitude, but decreased with latitude. The archaeal diversity showed little change along these gradients. The composition of the soil microbial community was influenced by both geographic distance and environmental variables.
Article
Microbiology
Yidan Zhao, Fasi Wu, Yang Liu, Minghui Wu, Shengjie Wang, Henry J. Sun, Guangxiu Liu, Yiyang Zhang, Xiaowen Cui, Wei Zhang, Tuo Chen, Gaosen Zhang
Summary: This study investigates the distribution and structure of hypolithic microbial communities in the Helan Mountains ecosystem, northwestern China. The results show that environmental heterogeneity influences the structure and function of the hypolithic microbial community, especially total nitrogen and soil organic carbon. The relative abundances of bacterial phyla vary between sampling sites, and soil physicochemical properties are correlated with changes in community diversity.
Article
Biotechnology & Applied Microbiology
Shaofeng Zhou, Wenwen An, Cuifen Gan, Meiying Xu
Summary: Bacteria generate and release extracellular reactive oxygen species (eROS), which significantly contribute to the natural ROS pool and play a crucial role in metabolic interactions of bacteria with their environment. Understanding the behavior of eROS-generating bacteria and its environmental implications is of great importance in the cycling of biogeochemical elements, transformation of organic matter, and regulation of antibiotic resistance genes.
INTERNATIONAL BIODETERIORATION & BIODEGRADATION
(2024)
Article
Biotechnology & Applied Microbiology
Ji-Dong Gu, Tim Ford, Bryce Mitton, Ralph Mitchell
Summary: Plastics and microplastics are widely present and accumulating in the environment, leading to increasing public attention. In addition to packaging plastics, materials from industries such as electronics, space and aviation are also accumulating, but receiving less attention. The production of degradable and biodegradable plastics is seen as a way to reduce environmental impacts, but enhancing the non-degradability of functional polymers is also a feasible option. Microbial colonization and deterioration pose significant challenges to these materials.
INTERNATIONAL BIODETERIORATION & BIODEGRADATION
(2024)
Article
Biotechnology & Applied Microbiology
Justyna Bohacz, Michal Mozejko
Summary: This study evaluated the keratinolytic activity of 37 strains of Trichophyton ajelloi and found that pigmented strains isolated from loamy soil were more efficient in degrading native feather keratin, while non-pigmented strains isolated from chernozem showed better abilities. The keratinolytic activity increased over time, as evidenced by the increase in extracellular keratinase activity and release of soluble proteins and peptides. Protease activity peaked in the first 7 days and again on day 28 of culture. The release of ammonium and sulfate ions, associated with an increase in pH, reached its maximum on day 21. Three pigment-producing strains were among the most active in releasing large amounts of ammonium and sulfate ions. The biodegradation of feather waste by Trichophyton ajelloi strains can be used to produce fertilizers suitable for plants with high sulfur requirements.
INTERNATIONAL BIODETERIORATION & BIODEGRADATION
(2024)
Article
Biotechnology & Applied Microbiology
Joseph M. Suflita, Brenda J. Little
Summary: This article reviews the major achievements of the International Biodeterioration & Biodegradation Society (IBBS) on its 50th anniversary and provides recommendations for addressing new challenges and developments based on personal experiences.
INTERNATIONAL BIODETERIORATION & BIODEGRADATION
(2024)
Article
Biotechnology & Applied Microbiology
Zhenyan Lin, Tuo Jin, Xin Xu, Xiao Yin, Dan Zhang, Mengjiao Geng, Chunyu Pang, Gongwen Luo, Lizhi Xiong, Jianwei Peng, Jiangchi Fei
Summary: The incomplete recycle of residual mulch film (RMF) in recent years has led to an increase in plastic fragments in soil, posing a serious threat to the soil ecological environment. In this study, seven potential plastic-degrading microorganisms were screened and identified from film-mulched vegetable fields. The degradation ability experiments showed that both single strains and mixed strains demonstrated varying levels of degradation of RMF.
INTERNATIONAL BIODETERIORATION & BIODEGRADATION
(2024)
Article
Biotechnology & Applied Microbiology
Tiina Belt, Michael Altgen, Muhammad Awais, Martin Nopens, Lauri Rautkari
Summary: This study investigated the degradation of heat-treated wood by brown rot fungi and found that the decay increased the hygroscopicity of wood in the decaying state. Furthermore, it was observed that heat-treated samples were more susceptible to fungal decay compared to untreated samples, which may be related to the increase in moisture content.
INTERNATIONAL BIODETERIORATION & BIODEGRADATION
(2024)
Article
Biotechnology & Applied Microbiology
Marta Cicardi, Davide Bernasconi, Luca Martire, Linda Pastero, Giulia Caneva, Sergio E. Favero-Longo
Summary: This study investigated the phenomenon of Centimetric circular areas Uncolonized by Microbial Biofilms (CUMBs) on natural and heritage stone surfaces. The analysis revealed a compatibility in distribution and size between CUMBs and lichen thalli, suggesting a lichen origin for some CUMBs. Microscopic analysis also showed similar modifications in marble layers beneath CUMBs and lichens, indicating a possible alteration of stone properties by lichens.
INTERNATIONAL BIODETERIORATION & BIODEGRADATION
(2024)
