SILKE OCH MIKROORGANISMER En kvalitativ studie av bakterie- och mögelangrepp på siden

Sammanfattning: In this thesis, bacteria and mold infestation of silk artefacts are investigated through a literature review, a survey sent out to textile conservators, an interview with a mycologist, and an examination of a mold infested robe used as a case study. The robe was examined using methods, including ATR-FTIR, found in scientific literature and methods, including light microscopy, retrieved from the conservators’ recommendations in the survey. The purpose of retrieving methods from various sources was to bridge the identified knowledge gap between practitioners’ and scientists’ perception of what kind of microbes cause deterioration of silk. The focus of the case study was to assess the ability of the adapted methods to provide information on the infestation. The study found that the different methods used in investigating an infested silk textile affect the perception of microbes causing deterioration. The study establishes that silk can be infested both by bacteria and by mold, and that the risk increases if the silk is part of a composite object. The study also concludes that the deteriorating effect of mold on silk is still not ascertained.