e-conservation the online Magazine 16, oct 2010.pdf

ABDELRAZEK ELNAGGAR et al.
Research Aims
Figure 1. A human mummy at Ehnasia Museum, Beni-Sweif,
Egypt.
Figure 2. Isolation of biological samples from a mummy at
Ehnasia Museum (Beni-Sweif, Egypt).
The objectives of the present investigation are to
study the fungal colonization and exoenzymatic
activities of some deteriorated Egyptian mummies,
and the effect of mummification materials on the
fungal growth to determine the efficiency of these
materials in the mummification process. Furthermore,
another important aim is to study the effect
of some fungicides in preservation of mummies
from fungal attack.
Introduction
Biodeterioration is considered a great factor in the
decomposition of the Egyptian mummies, because
fungi and bacteria grow and feed with many of
their constituent products, such as protein, fats,
starch and cellulose, which represent a stable substrate
to microbial growth. There are a number of
abiotic and biotic factors such as pollution, light,
humidity, temperature, microorganisms, insects,
etc., that have deteriorating effects on museum
materials [1]. Among these, biological agents
such as actinomycetes, fungi, bacteria etc., may
cause massive damage to museum objects [2].
Studies on indoor aeromycoflora have attracted
the attention of several aerobiologists [2-5].
Martinez et al. [6] isolated a total of 469 fungal
colonies from 12 mummies that presented deterioration
attributed to colonizing fungi. Among
the isolated fungi Penicillium, Cladosporium and
Aspergillus were found. Most of these fungi have
the ability to produce various enzymes (cellulases,
amylases, proteases, keratinases, etc.). Cellulase
enzymes degrade cellulose found in linen bandages
to double sugars and endoglaconases enzymes
cut the cellulose chain in a random fashion
whereas, exogluconases enzymes successively
remove single cellobiose or glucose units from
the non-reducing end of the cellulose chain [7,
8]. Many fungi are able to cause zoonotic superficial
infections as a consequence of invading
keratinize tissues of skin, hair, and nails [9, 10].
Materials and methods
Samples
Biological samples were taken from a linen-wrapped
mummy, from the air of mummy chambers and
from deteriorated Egyptian mummies preserved
in museum storage as follows: human mummy
no. 2520 and 2519 from the Ismailia Museum (Ismailiaa,
Egypt); animal mummies No. 35 and 93
from the El-Dokki Agriculture Museum (Cairo, Egypt)
and human mummies in storage at Ehnasia Museum
(Beni-Sweif, Egypt, see figures 1,2). Sampling of
40 e-conservation