IPERION HS D.5.3 Protocol to monitor objects and environment for preventive conservation and concept of digital platform infrastructure for preventive conservation
Creators: name: Keune, Katrien
Publisher: name: Zenodo
Year: 2023
Subjects: preventive conservation
monitoring
paintings
digital platform

description: The scientific understanding of the degradation of cultural heritage objects, caused by external and internal factors, is increasing. However, we are still far from having a comprehensive material–object–environment–building model that would enable us to predict the outcomes of preventive conservation scenarios. This deliverable represents a step forward in detecting, understanding, and monitoring changes, crucial for preventive conservation. It targets oil paintings and addresses various internal and external factors. The deliverable is organized into three topics, each containing subprojects, and covers protocols development for chemical and structural painting changes (Topic 1), monitoring indoor environmental conditions (Topic 2), and a digital platform with decision support tools (Topic 3). Twenty-five partners from 13 countries contributed to the deliverable, and each subproject is coordinated by a project leader.
Topic 1, the first project focuses on the development of a protocol for assessing light-induced color changes in specific pigments within oil binder, utilizing non-invasive imaging and single-point techniques as well as micro-destructive molecular and elemental methods. Objectives include evaluating different white-light sources' impact on mock-ups and defining critical parameters for monitoring paint film color changes. The second project introduces the monitoring of lead soap protrusion formation. It combines non-invasive imaging and spot-point techniques, resulting in a ten-step protocol for long-term condition monitoring. For varnish analysis (project 3), a toolkit of non-invasive chemical and structural techniques is applied, showing promising advances in sensitive equipment, but necessary development for effective museum implementation. The fourth project aids in interpreting multimodal methodology results for sensitive modern oil paint surfaces. While some techniques provide initial insights, conclusive findings require cross-referencing with additional non-invasive methods. The topic's final project explores non-invasive imaging for determining and monitoring delaminating and flaking paint layers. Most of the techniques discussed in Topic 1 are offered via the IPERION HS catalogue of services.
Topic 2, the first project in this topic, aims at developing a toolkit for simple environmental monitoring techniques. It specifically examines formic and acetic acid, known risks to collections during storage or display, and validated them with samplers for SO2 and NO2. The developed method is offered as an IPERION HS service. The second project carried out an interlaboratory comparison of the Oddy Test to assess its reproducibility and progress toward standardization. In addition, it compared protocol variations and shares more objective assessment approaches and best practices. The third project offers a concise protocol and overview of instrumental techniques available through IPERION HS for analyzing the chemical composition of collected airborne particles. This analysis aids in identifying pollutants, understanding their sources, evaluating their impact on artworks, and devising protection strategies for cultural artefacts. The last project demonstrates the value of incorporating different mass spectrometry approaches for the detection of organic compounds harmful to oil paintings and optimized their protocols.
Topic 3 focuses on enhancing and openly sharing a digital platform of specialized apps for preventive conservation, including HERIe, DISCOLL, IMPACT, and Collection Demography apps. In addition, it describes the requirements of ideal apps for the end-user and includes a validation of the dust deposition model for the case study of the cloister of the Monastery of Santa María del Paular (Rascafría, Spain). The digital apps are presented on a single website, the E-RIHS - Digital Tools, Services and Resources, https://e-rihs.io/resources.html,  planned to be merged in E-RIHS - ERIC DIGILAB open services. 
To conclude, topic 1 protocols are based on mock-ups, and serve as the foundation, and starting point for actual implementation in authentic paintings. The various protocols developed under topics 1 and 2 serve as a 'monitoring toolkit' which can be offered to E-RIHS users in the future and the concept of the digital platform presented here will be fused in E-RIHS - ERIC DIGILAB open services.