suggested new formula for the treatment of microbial biodeterioration occurring in Tutankhamen Tomb and similar antiquities objects

ABSTRACT

Since the discovery of Tutankhamen tomb [TAT] in 1922, no serious trial has been ever made in order to find out a solution for the recorded browny spots distributed on almost all wall-paintings and decorations inside TAT. Any ex-data concerning the treatment of biodeterioration inside TAT was very limited, incomplete and unpublished. In this investigation, a real trial was made in order to create a new chemotherapeutic compound formula to stop completely any biodeterioration inside TAT for 5 years. All the microflora of the tomb were isolated from 20 different samples on various 7 agar media under both aerobic and anaerobic conditions. A total of 129 microbial strains [43 aerobes and 86 anaerobes] were selected as representatives of all microflora of TAT obtained from the 20 samples collected. The 129 strains were categorized into 3 main groups i.e. 93 bacteria [72.1%], 31 fungi [24%] and 5 actinomycetes [3.9%]. Yeast cells were not recorded. The standard inoculum of TAT micro-flora-to be used against the antiseptic agents used-contained a mixture of bacteria [15], fungi [7] and actinomycetes [1] in a tou 1 of 23 to be suspended into a saline sterile solution used as the stocK inoculum. Standard solutions of 8 antiseptic agents in 3 organic solvents were used. The test solutions were introduced into the cup plates containing nutrient agar seeded with the standard inoculum. Incubation was carried out in the open air under no sterile conditions for one week at the end of which mean diameters [mm] of inhibition zones were calculated. Two substances exerted the best and highest antiseptic effects viz. Dichloroxylenol [D] in acetone and Povidone-iodine [PI] in ethanol. A study on the combinations of D and PI in the presence and absence of other antiseptic agents in a total of 44 combinations revealed the fact that the best one is that composed of D [1.22%] and PI [7%]. For the purpose of preparing the new D-PI-formula in the form of a spray, two mixtures were prepared, first composed of D [24.49%] in acetone [750 ml] and PI [140 g] in ethanol [250 ml] and second composed of propane [15%] and butane [85%]. A known weight [g] of the first mixture was introduced first into an aerosol can [e.g. 300 ml cap.] and an equivalent weight [g] was pushed automatically into the same can to be mixed to form the new formula of D-P1 spray. Because the use of D PI spray is so easy under no sterile conditions, its preparation is simple, its validity and availability, its strong inhibitory effects well as it has no effects on wall paintings and colours, it is to lieved that D-P1 spray could be applied fairly in the treatment of microbial biodeterioration inside TAT in partical and that of other antiquities objects in general