Fungal communities in archives: assessment strategies and impact on paper conservation and human health

The main results presented in this PhD Dissertation have been published in interna-tional journals included in the Science Citation Index (SCI)

Fungi are ubiquitous and, as such, are current contaminants in archives and librairies. Provided the adequate relative humidity, temperature and water activity, however, they can stop being innocent inhabitants and become dangerous threats to the organic materials that hold our written heritage. Their impact, however, is not re-stricted to the assets of an archive or library. New concerns arise from their incredible ability to thrive as human health can also be affected. In a contaminated environment, staff and attendees share the same space with fungal communities and the human body can suffer from this interaction in the most diverse ways. So, indoor air quality studies in archives and libraries should always comprehend not only the study of fun-gal communities but also their analysis under two perspectives: documents safekeep-ing and human health protection. In this study it was important to determine the conditions provided by some of our heritage holder’s institutions and develop the best strategy to identify their fungal flora. This strategy encompassed both air and surfaces and both traditional culturing methods and molecular biology protocols. Knowing the environment in Portuguese institutions is essential for the development of guidelines and establishment of recom-mendations. Only by using this knowledge can a safer environment be created and the purpose of keeping our heritage while maintaining our health is fully attained.

Fundação para a Ciência e a Tecnologia (FCT)- (SFRH/BD/36005/2007)