Abstract:
Poor air quality inside museums is one of the main causes influencing the state of conservation of exhibits. Even if they are mostly placed in a controlled environment because of their
construction materials, the exhibits can be very vulnerable to the influence of the internal microclimate. As a consequence, museum exhibits must be protected from potential negative effects. In order
to prevent and stop the process of damage of the exhibits, monitoring the main parameters of the
microclimate (especially temperature, humidity, and brightness) and keeping them in strict values
is extremely important. The present study refers to the investigations and analysis of air quality
inside a museum, located in a heritage building, from Romania. The paper focuses on monitoring
and analysing temperature of air and walls, relative humidity (RH), CO2
, brightness and particulate
matters (PM), formaldehyde (HCHO), and total volatile organic compounds (TVOC). The monitoring
was carried out in the Summer–Autumn 2020 Campaign, in two different exhibition areas (first floor
and basement) and the main warehouse where the exhibits are kept and restored. The analyses
aimed both at highlighting the hazard induced by the poor air quality inside the museum that the
exhibits face. The results show that this environment is potentially harmful to both exposed items
and people. Therefore, the number of days in which the ideal conditions in terms of temperature
and RH are met are quite few, the concentration of suspended particles, formaldehyde, and total
volatile organic compounds often exceed the limit allowed by the international standards in force.
The results represent the basis for the development and implementation of strategies for long-term
conservation of exhibits and to ensure a clean environment for employees, restorers, and visitors.
