BIOLOGICAL TREATMENT OF MICROBIAL PIGMENTS ON SOME EGYPTION ANTIQUITIES

Abstract

The present work was carried out for isolation, purification and identification of microorganisms that cause deterioration to ancient paper and parchment and demonstrate the presence of pigment-producing microorganisms within stained paper and parchment. The potential method was investigated to decolorize pigments isolated from the stained paper and parchment surface. The results could be summarized as follows:

1- Isolation and identification of isolated microorganisms The microbial isolates were isolated from deteriorated paper (books from Kasr Abdin) and parchment (Othman's manuscript). Ninety six fungal isolates, seven bacterial isolates and two actinomyces isolates were obtained from the surface of the biodetriorated paper and parchment. The fungal isolates were identified depending on their morphological characteristics. They were belonged to six main genera of fungi namely Alternaria, Aspergillus ,Cladosporium , Penicillium, Rhizopus and Trichoderma. The bacterial isolates were belonged to two main genera namely Bacillus and Streptococcus depending on their colonies and morphological features. The highest number of fungal isolates and percentage incidence isolated from deteriorated ancient paper belonged to Aspergillus and Penicillium were 32 & 51% and 18 & 29% respectively. From biodetriorated parchment the highest number of fungal isolates and percentage incidence were belonged to Aspergillus and Penicillium being 21 & 47% and 15 & 33% respectively. Only two species and three species belonged to Aspergillus and Penicillium genera respectively, were isolated from biodetriorated paper and parchment produced extracellular pigment.

2- Determination of cellulase and protease activity. The results showed that all isolates have the ability to secret the specific enzyme for each material, therefore it could be stated that Aspergillus niger, Trichoderma harzianum and Trichoderma viride were recorded the highest cellulase activity followed by Rhizopus sp., Penicillium purpurogenum and Aspergllius flavus . For protease activity data showed that Penicillium purpurogenum (secreted red pigment) and Pen. lanosum recorded the highest protease activity being 3.1 and 3.0 cm respectively, followed by Pen. regulosm and Streptomyces sp. being 2.8 cm.

3- Assessment of growth rate of fungal strains Non-pigmented and pigmented fungi were grown on C