Aims: To set up and employ, for the biorestoration of cultural heritage (altered frescoes), an advanced and innovative biotechnology method based on the sequential use of whole viable bacterial cells and specific enzymes. Methods and Results: The bioremediation intervention consisted of the direct application onto an artwork surface of whole bacterial cells of the Pseudomonas stutzeri A29 strain (bioaugmentation), followed by, in a final step, a purified Protease enzyme. The bioremediation was performed on a Spinello Aretino fresco that had become altered by the animal glue residues of past restoration. For the reader's interest the fresco is the 14th century Conversione di S. Efisio e battaglia (Conversion of S. Efisio and battle), size 3AE5 · 7AE8 m at the Pisa Camposanto Monumentale, Italy. An assessment was made of the final costs of the biological tests (whole bacterial cells, enzymes) so as to compare them with other intervention techniques. Conclusions: A successful innovative biological approach to recover valuable frescoes was set up, and the best conditions for treatment efficiency were identified. Furthermore the cost of the biological cleaning using viable bacterial cells and enzymes (P. stutzeri, Protease, Collagenase, 1 : 3 : 10, ratio respectively) was much lower than that of other conventional methods, making this biotechnology not only very interesting but also very competitive. Significance and Impact of the Study: New biotechnologies with an innovative, soft approach to the ÔbiocleaningÕ and ÔbiorestorationÕ of cultural heritage are in constant demand, and our results are clear evidence that such an approach has been achieved; the technique could be of significant importance towards developing other goals.
A novel system was investigated, finalized to reduce the impact of highly polluting wastewaters, and based on combined actions of catalytic oxidations and microbial biotechnologies. Olive oil mill wastewaters (COD 10,000-100,000 mg O(2)/L) were oxidized up to 80-90% by stoichiometric amounts of dilute hydrogen peroxide (35%) and in the presence of water soluble iron catalysts, either Fe(II) or Fe(III), at concentrations up to 1% w/w and more, i.e., much larger than those reported for conventional Fenton processes. In the combined action, the mineralization activity of a selected microbial consortium was used to degrade residual volatile and nonvolatile organic compounds into CO(2) and biomass. The results of this search could suggest an improved operational methodology capable to reduce the potential impact of wastewater.
These results could be of significant importance in developing new winemaking technologies for an innovative yeast fermentation control process for 'biological wine'.
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