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