Application of gamma irradiation to conservation
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2021
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ICOM-CC TRIENNIAL CONFERENCE, 19th
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Featherwork is one of the most remarkable categories of material culture
produced by Brazilian indigenous peoples due to its technical qualities and
aesthetic beauty. Weapons, baskets, and musical instruments are frequently
decorated with feathers, which are also used in body adornments that, in addition
to their aesthetic purpose, are intended to convey information about the wearer,
their position within a group, and the cultural values that they wish to transmit.
The preservation of this type of artifacts is demanding given the biological
cycle of the organic materials that compose them, which are inevitably subject
to various stages of deterioration. In addition to the damage resulting from
their use and perishable materials, these ethnographic objects are exposed
to a new environment when they are incorporated into museum collections,
where their existence must be prolonged. Since Brazil’s tropical climate often
leads to pest proliferation, their degradation can be exacerbated by the action
of insects such as moths and microorganisms such as fungi with irreversible
consequences, making their conservation a daily challenge. Although the art
of featherwork is still practiced by indigenous communities, the scarce supply
of raw materials and contact with the tribes involved has reduced the scale of
production. The preservation of this material heritage is thus very important,
particularly in ethnographic museums. The use of gamma radiation for the
disinfestation of cultural heritage artifacts and archived materials has been
shown to be a safe process and an excellent alternative to traditional methods,
which usually involve toxic chemical pesticides. Ionizing radiation has been
used for more than 40 years and, since 2004, the Multipurpose Irradiator at
the Institute of Energy and Nuclear Research (IPEN), a pioneering technology
developed in Brazil, has made its application to cultural heritage a reality. With
more than 20,000 cultural artifacts irradiated, IPEN is currently the national
and international reference center for the use of radiation technology applied
to the preservation of cultural heritage collections. Several studies have been
conducted to determine the optimal dose required to eliminate contamination
by biological agents in organic materials such as wood, leather, and feathers.A
maximum dose of 10 kGy is recommended for featherwork in order to avoid
affecting the physical and chemical properties of this type of material. This
poster reports on the results of the effects of ionizing radiation on the color and
morphological properties of a featherwork from the Museum of Archaeology
and Ethnology at the University of São Paulo (MAE/USP). Samples of feathers
were selected and irradiated with gamma rays at the Multipurpose Gamma
Irradiation Facility, applying absorbed doses of between 0.5 and 200 kGy.
The samples were chosen according to the color of the feathers and then
photographed and analyzed using colorimetry based on the CIELAB 1976
color space scale before and 48 hours after irradiation and scanning electron
microscopy. There were no significant changes in morphological and color
properties within the disinfestation range applied.
Como referenciar
VIEIRA, ANA C.D.; KODAMA, YASKO; OTUBO, LARISSA; SANTOS, PAULO S.; VASQUEZ, PABLO A.S.; GARCIA, RAFAEL H.L. Application of gamma irradiation to conservation: effects of ionizing radiation on the color of featherwork. In: ICOM-CC TRIENNIAL CONFERENCE, 19th, May 17-21, 2021, Beijing, China. Abstract... Paris, France: International Council of Museums, 2021. Disponível em: http://repositorio.ipen.br/handle/123456789/32327. Acesso em: 30 Apr 2026.
Esta referência é gerada automaticamente de acordo com as normas do estilo IPEN/SP (ABNT NBR 6023) e recomenda-se uma verificação final e ajustes caso necessário.