Enzymatic decolorization of bacterial pigments from culturally significant marble |
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Authors: | Nick Konkol Chris McNamara Joe Sembrat Mark Rabinowitz Ralph Mitchell |
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Institution: | aLaboratory of Applied Microbiology, School of Engineering and Applied Sciences, Harvard University, 40, Oxford Street, MA 02138, Cambridge, USA;bConservation Solutions Inc., 833, E Palace Avenue, NM 87501, Santa Fe, USA |
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Abstract: | Marble monuments and facades are susceptible to microbial colonization. Microbial growth on a marble surface can develop into unsightly red stains whose removal has proven problematic. The purpose of this study was to determine if the red-brown stains on Isamu Noguchi's marble sculpture Slide Mantra (1991) could be caused by pigment-producing microorganisms and to assess the potential of enzymatic stain remediation. Traditional cell culture methods were used to isolate a pigmented bacterium from a stained area of the sculpture. Sequencing and analysis of the 16S rRNA gene identified the organism as a strain of Serratia marcescens, and FT-IR spectroscopy demonstrated that the pigment produced by the bacteria was most likely a prodigiosin. Decolorization of the pigment in solution demonstrated that the enzyme laccase from the fungus Trametes versicolor has potential as a decolorizing agent. This study suggests that enzymatic decolorization may be applicable to stains on culturally significant marble caused by microbial colonization. |
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Keywords: | Microorganisms Marble Pigment Enzymes Decolorization |
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