Essential Oils as Alternative Biocides for the Preservation of Waterlogged Archaeological Wood.

ABSTRACT: Waterlogged archaeological wood is exposed to a high risk of biological degradation during the post-excavation phases of storage and restoration. For this reason, often biocides must be used to preserve wooden remains. In the present work three essential oils (cinnamon, wild thyme, and common thyme) were tested as possible alternative biocides to use in the preservation of waterlogged archaeological wood. The oils were first tested in vitro to establish the minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) and to evaluate the biocidal activity on selected fungal strains. Then, the established MIC was applied on waterlogged archaeological wood samples and during an actual restoration treatment. The effectiveness of the oils was evaluated through cultural analyses, ATP quantification, and next-generati

SUBMITTER: Antonelli F 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC7765822 | biostudies-literature | 2020 Dec

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature