Advantages of controlled antibiotics release nanosystems for diagnostic, restoration and conservation of Cultural Heritage

The increased attention on Cultural Heritages has pushed scientists from different fields to provide a contribution in this direction. Moreover, conservators are aware that investigation of a work-of-art needs to use a scientific approach. Modern nanotechnologies are strategic and they can open unexpected new scenarios on conservation of Cultural Heritages. On one side, advanced techniques based on investigation at nanoscale domain can help to investigate art-works, while a modern set of nanomaterials with potential uses in treatments for restoration and conservation of Cultural Heritage play a relevant role. Perspectives are devoted to obtaining nanomaterials with smart and stimuli responsive features. These characteristics are strategic in many aspects of conservation such as controlled cleaning or development of smart protective coatings and active consolidants. Examples of applications include, but are not limited to, conservations of stone, metals, paints, paper and wooden artifacts. In particular, microorganisms (bacteria, archaea and fungi), in addition to lichens and insect pests, cause problems in the conservation of Cultural Heritage because of their biodeteriorative potential [1-2]. This holds true for all types of historic artefacts, and even for art made of modern materials, in public buildings, museums and private art collections. The variety of biodeterioration phenomena observed on materials of cultural heritage is determined by several factors, such as the chemical composition and nature of the material itself, the climate and exposure of the object, in addition to the manner and frequency of surface cleaning and housekeeping in museums [3]. This study aims to present recent advances in nanotechnology applied to cultural heritage and in particular for the production of dispersions of polymeric-based nanoparticles as an antimicrobial agent, micellar solutions, microemulsions, gels and in order to offer new reliable pathways to restore works of art by combining the main features of soft and hard-matter systems for cultural heritage conservation [4-7].