The aqueous environment for treating polychrome works of art

Abstract

The aqueous environment, simple water or buffered aqueous solutions with the possible presence of surfactants, chelators or enzymes, represents an important approach to operations that with the traditional terminology we would define "cleaning" of polychrome works, but which is now time to define with greater precision, given that it can involve profoundly different operations: cleaning the surface of deposit dirt or removing film-forming substances applied with different functions (paints and protective layers, adhesive and consolidating residues, retouching and repainting). The aqueous environment tackles the problem of material toxicity at its root, and provides a greater number of "control parameters", such as pH, concentrations, and conductivity. Through which often the intervention can be made less aggressive and more selective.