Page 73 - 00. Complete Version - Progress Report IPEN 2014-2016

Application of Ionizing Radiations | Progress Report 73

PHOTO: L. POTTERTON/IAEA

Figure 43. Many CH objects from
the Afro Brazil Museum in São
Paulo, Brazil, have been treated with
gamma irradiation at the Nuclear and
Energy Research Institute (IPEN).

Preservation of cultural heritage started in 1996 at IPEN, but only in 2010s de-
objects and archived materials cade, related activities were relevant and in-

tensified to the present day preserving more
The climate of Brazil comprises a wide range than 20 000 cultural artefacts.
of weather conditions across a large area and
varied topography, but most of the country is
tropical. High temperature and humidity lev-
els have been favored the growth of mold and
other fungi in artworks, books and archived PHOTO:P VASQUEZ/IPEN
materials. Another relevant problem found in
the conservation of cultural heritage is relat-
ed to xylophagous insects specially termites
and wood-boring beetles. In this sense, dis-
infection of cultural heritage (CH) artefacts
and archived materials by gamma radiation
has been successfully researched and applied
in recent years by the Multipurpose Gamma
Irradiation Facility at CTR/IPEN becoming a
leader to preserve tangible objects in South
America. Basic research of the ionizing radi-
Figure 44. Large size objects irradiated at the Mul-
ation effects in contaminated paper in Brazil tipurpose Gamma Irradiation facility (IPEN)