Istituto Superiore per la Protezione
e la Ricerca Ambientale

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Air pollution and cultural heritage: effects on materials in Rome

The deterioration of materials constituting the cultural heritage is a complex phenomenon usually attributable to various factors, including air pollution and climatic conditions of surrounding territory.

This report describes the three-year monitoring campaign started in Rome in march 2013 and realized by ISPRA and ISCR (Higher Institute for Conservation and Restoration), in collaboration with ARPA Lazio.

The experimental campaign allowed to analyze the blackening and degradation processes of materials constituting the Italian cultural property, caused by atmospheric pollutants deposition.

In particular, the experimental study consisted of the exposure of marble, copper and glass samples in seven sites within the Great Ring Road, in correspondence of seven air quality monitoring stations characterized by different environmental conditions. Experimentation allowed to define marble and glass blackening processes, to study the surface recession of marble and copper corrosion over time.

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ISPRA
Reports
270/2017
978-88-448-0847-1