Antifungal activity of some plant extracts and essential oils against fungi‐infested organic archaeological artefacts

Abstract

The determination of the antifungal activities of nine kinds of powdered plant extracts and five essential oils was studied in vitro against four of the most common fungal species (Aspergillus flavus, A. versicolor, Penicillium sp. and P. purpurogenum), which were isolated from different organic materials from archaeological artefacts such as papyrus and linen. The essential oils showed greater efficacy than the powdered plant extracts, where thyme and lemongrass oils were the most potent. Also, the minimum inhibitory concentration and minimum fungicidal concentration of these oils were determined. Furthermore, their chemical components were identified using gas chromatography‐mass spectrometry (GC‐MS) analysis. In vivo, studies were performed using biodeteriorated samples for applying treatment, in which the microbiological test revealed that both oils can eradicate both tested fungi completely after exposure time, ranging from two weeks for papyrus samples to 14 weeks for linen. A scanning electron microscope (SEM), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) and colorimeter were used to assess the treatment process, leading to the final results, which suggest that the essential oils could be useful sources of fungicidal preparations for the disinfection of biodeteriorated linen and papyrus artefacts. Nevertheless, further studies are strongly recommended to introduce these sources into practical use in preventive conservation.

Interdisciplinary Research to Advance Digital Imagery and Natural Compounds for Eco-Cleaning and for Preserving Textile Cultural Heritage

“…They were divided into three groups depending on the magnification ×1000, ×300 and ×100 LM. In the analysis of the SEM images of textiles, the most commonly used way of their digital representation is textural features [37,38]; the advantage of using textural features in the analysis of SEM images is that they can be used to analyze, model and process the texture. In this way, human vision is simulated by distinguishing elements in images.…”

Direct synthesis of lemongrass (Cymbopogon citratus L.) essential oil-silver nanoparticles (EO-AgNPs) as biopesticides and application for lichen inhibition on stones

“…Essential oil (EO) is a natural alternative because it has the ability to protect archaeological objects [ 1 , 2 , 3 , 4 , 5 , 6 ]. It can be used to inhibit microbial growth because of its biodegradability, cost-effectiveness, environmental suitability, non-toxicity, antimicrobial, and antioxidant properties.…”

Eco-Friendly Solution Based on Rosmarinus officinalis Hydro-Alcoholic Extract to Prevent Biodeterioration of Cultural Heritage Objects and Buildings

“…Although a limited number of studies have focused on demonstrating the efficiency of R. officinalis extract against biodeteriogenic microorganisms, the antifungal activity of R. officinalis extracts (water and ethanol) against four fungal strains ( A. flavus , A. versicolor , Penicillium spp., P. purpurogenum ) isolated from different archaeological artefacts in an Egyptian Museum demonstrated the efficiency of both extracts [ 52 ]. Several other authors have demonstrated the antimicrobial activity of R. officinalis EO or of the crude extract against several food-borne pathogens, for i.e., against Macrophphaseolina phaseolina to control charcoal rot in Glycine max [ 53 ].…”