Multi-Analytical Approaches for the Characterisation of Artistic Materials Subjected to Time and Environmental Pollution

The effects of time and environmental conditions are well known to be an issue with respect to works of art and historic buildings. Indeed, the scientific research community has performed many studies in order to find solutions to slow down and solve the unavoidable deterioration of the materials. However, the upward trend of pollutants in the atmosphere has been observed to be observed to be an ever-growing threat to both indoor and outdoor artworks. In addition, several studies have shown that indoor pollution also comes from objects and various materials commonly present in indoor environments, whether they be, for example, museums, private collections, or churches. In this context both some environmental monitoring campaigns’ results and the analytical characterisation of products of degradation of different artistic materials, especially by means of non-invasive measurements and portable instruments, will be considered through several case studies. Moreover, the ongoing research that has been devoted to an extensive and systematic study of pigments, binders and statuary marble and their interaction with atmospheric pollutants and particulate matter will be presented. This research seems to be of critical importance when one considers the importance, both educational and economic, of striving to preserve objects of cultural heritage significance which informs communities of science and conservators about degradation issues and the steps toward their remediation.