Non-destructive diagnose of the biodeterioration of heritage assets through an optical microscopy

Abstract The study of heritage objects biodeterioration is one of utmost importance to avoid the complete loss of them. A non-destructive technique has been developed in order to diagnose the deterioration process of materials from heritage assets. This ultra-thin cut preparation technique enables the study of the mechanisms of biodegradation involved, and, thanks to it, the sample does not suffer any change (freezing its last state). This also enables to obtain relevant information to generate new protection and conservation techniques. This study would grant more detailed information on the amount of material being degraded, as it allows to obtain an optimal image quality through the optical microscope, without altering the molecular structure of the material, or the organisms involved. This technique also results useful to the taxonomic study of the organisms colonizers.