Microbial degradation of waterlogged archaeological wood

Björdal, Charlotte Gjelstrup

doi:10.1016/j.culher.2012.02.003

Cited by 124 publications

(50 citation statements)

References 22 publications

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“…In waterlogged environments, the cellulose-depleted cell walls become instead filled with water, allowing the structure of the wood to be maintained [20]. However, this ligninrich skeleton is a very fragile material that is highly susceptible to mechanical damage and can collapse or warp very easily when dried [12,23].…”

Section: The Structure and Decay Of Waterlogged Archaeological Woodmentioning

confidence: 99%

A review of analytical methods for assessing preservation in waterlogged archaeological wood and their application in practice

High

Penkman

2020

Herit Sci

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Waterlogged archaeological wood can present management challenges due to its vulnerability to chemical and biological decay, both during burial and post-excavation. Decay processes also often leave it severely weakened and therefore susceptible to mechanical damage. Quantifying preservation and understanding active decay mechanisms is therefore critical in informing the management of this unique cultural resource. It is critical that assessments of preservation are robust, and sensitive enough to allow changes over time to be detected. A wide range of analytical methods can be applied to assess the state of preservation of waterlogged archaeological wood, and determining which of these is most appropriate to the circumstances can be challenging. This review summarises some of the most commonly reported methods suitable for the analysis of waterlogged archaeological wood, ranging from widely used 'low-tech' methods, to assessment using advanced analytical instrumentation. Methods are evaluated in terms of the information gained weighed up against their cost, logistical considerations, and time investments, with the aim of supporting the development of an analytical strategy. We conclude that although an analytical strategy must be informed by the aims of assessment as well as any external restrictions, the best available analytical techniques should be employed in order to supply an accurate baseline against which future change can be measured. Critically, a multi-analytical approach is vital in obtaining a clear picture of the present state of decay, as no single technique gives the best assessment.

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Section: The Structure and Decay Of Waterlogged Archaeological Woodmentioning

confidence: 99%

A review of analytical methods for assessing preservation in waterlogged archaeological wood and their application in practice

High

Penkman

2020

Herit Sci

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“…Limited efforts have characterized marine microbiallymediated decay processes on carbon steel shipwreck hulls (Blanchette, 2000;Cullimore and Johnston, 2008;Gjelstrup Björdal, 2012)-especially with regard to hydrocarbon exposure. However, microbiologically influenced corrosion (MIC) of carbon steel coupled to microbial degradation of hydrocarbons is of significant concern in the oil and gas industry and has been investigated (Neria-González et al, 2006).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Exposure to Crude Oil and Chemical Dispersant May Impact Marine Microbial Biofilm Composition and Steel Corrosion

et al. 2018

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The release of hydrocarbons and chemical dispersant in marine environments may disrupt benthic ecosystems, including artificial reefs, formed by historic steel shipwrecks, and their associated organisms. Experiments were performed to determine the impacts of crude oil, dispersed crude oil, and dispersant on the community structure and function of microorganisms in seawater (SW) and biofilms formed on carbon steel, a common ship hull construction material. Steel corrosion was also monitored to illustrate how oil spills may impact preservation of steel shipwrecks. Microcosms were filled with seawater (SW) and incubated at 4 • C. Carbon steel disks (CSDs) were placed in each tank, and tanks were amended with crude oil and/or dispersant or no treatment. SW and CSD biofilms were sampled biweekly for genetic analysis using Illumina sequencing of 16S ribosomal RNA gene amplicons. Predicted and sequenced bacterial metagenomes were analyzed to examine impacts of oil and dispersant on metabolic function. Gammaproteobacteria, Alphaproteobacteria, and Flavobacteriia dominated SW and biofilms. Bacterial community structure differed significantly between treatments for SW and biofilms. OTUs affiliated with known (Pseudomonas) and potential (Marinomonas) hydrocarbon-degraders were roughly twice as abundant in biofilms treated with oil and dispersed oil, and steel corrosion of CSDs in these treatments was higher compared to control and dispersant treatments. OTUs affiliated with the Rhodobacteraceae family (biofilm formers and potential oil degraders) were less abundant in the dispersant treatment compared to other treatments in biofilm and SW samples, but OTUs affiliated with the Pseudoalteromonas genus (biofilm formers and proposed hydrocarbon degraders) were more abundant in dispersant-treated biofilms. Overall, functional gene analyses revealed a decrease in genes (predicted using PICRUSt and observed in sequenced metagenomes) associated with hydrocarbon degradation in dispersant-treated biofilms. This study indicates that exposure to oil and dispersant could disrupt the composition and metabolic function of biofilms colonizing metal hulls, as well as corrosion processes, potentially compromising shipwrecks as ecological and historical resources.

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“…Gates were in fact partially waterlogged and subjected to wet/dry cycles producing physical and chemical modifications of wood structure. It is well known that waterlogged woods are artefacts that represent a conservation challenge still far to be solved, due to the complex degradation pathways they undergo [2][3][4][5][6][7][8]. A picture as much complete as possible of the chemical composition and degradation of the lignocellulosic materials is the first step in the process of finding innovative and efficient conservation strategies [9][10][11][12].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Integrated biological and chemical characterisation of a pair of leonardesque canal lock gates

et al. 2021

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The Museo Nazionale della Scienza e della Tecnologia “Leonardo da Vinci” in Milan is exposing two pairs of canal lock gates, used to control the water flow in Milan canal system, whose design appears in the Leonardo’s Codex Atlanticus. The wood present in the gates has been deeply characterised by mean of a multidisciplinary investigation involving i) DNA barcoding of wood fragments; ii) microbial community characterisation, and iii) chemical analyses. DNA barcoding revealed that two fragments of the gates belonged to wood species widely used in the middle age: Fagus sylvatica and Picea abies. The chemical characterisations were based on the use of ionic liquid as dissolving medium in order to analyse the entire cell wall material by means of Gel Permeation Chromatography (GPC) and 2D-NMR-HSQC techniques. This multidisciplinary analytical approach was able to highlight the complex nature of the degradation occurred during the gate operation (XVI-XVIII centuries): an intricate interplay between microbial populations (i.e. Shewanella), inorganic factors (i.e. iron from nails), physical factors and the lignocellulosic material.

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Microbial degradation of waterlogged archaeological wood

Cited by 124 publications

References 22 publications

A review of analytical methods for assessing preservation in waterlogged archaeological wood and their application in practice

A review of analytical methods for assessing preservation in waterlogged archaeological wood and their application in practice

Exposure to Crude Oil and Chemical Dispersant May Impact Marine Microbial Biofilm Composition and Steel Corrosion

Integrated biological and chemical characterisation of a pair of leonardesque canal lock gates

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