CHARACTERIZATION OF HISTORICAL BOOKBINDING LEATHER BY FTIR,SEM -EDX AND INVESTIGATION OF FUNGAL SPECIES ISOLATED FROM THE LEATHER

Abstract

The aim of the present study was to identify fungi that cause deterioration of historical leather in the storage room, compare quantitative compounds of elements present in historical leather and new ones, and check the ability of the isolated fungi from recently leather book to colonize new leather. The leather binding was evaluated by visual assessment, SEM, isolation and identification of fungi and Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FTIR). Goat skin was identified as the animal skin of the bookbinding, Cladosporium cladosporioides, Aspergillus tamarii, Eurotium chevalieri, Aspergillus fumigatus, Wallemia sebi, and Fusarium poae were the most dominant species of fungi found on the leather book binding. Based on the EDX analysis of leather binding and new leather sample, some changes happened in the old leather due to bio deterioration factors and causes of changes in the elements rate.