Technologies for Conservation and Restoration of Cultural Heritage

ENVIRONMENT - Introduction to environmental sciences. Concepts and definition of contaminant and pollutant. Pollution sources and typologies. Biogeochemical cycles of the main elements in the various environmental spheres. Biodiversity, depletion of natural resources, and water scarcity (5 h). ATMOSPHERE - Definition, evolution, composition, and physical characteristics of atmosphere, temperature and pressure gradient, thermal inversion. Atmosphere layers, stratification, chemical species, and reactions in the various layers. Ionosphere. Water in the atmosphere. Basics in atmospheric chemistry and photochemistry. Ions and radicals (6 h). Atmospheric pollution. Reducing smog and acid depositions. Effects of acid depositions on the various environmental spheres and materials. Photochemical smog and tropospheric ozone (3 h). Particulate matter in the air, classifications, typologies, natural and anthropic sources. Criteria and standards for air quality assessment and basics of European Law (4 h). Thermal balance of the Earth. Greenhouse effect and main greenhouse gases. Global warming, and climate changes. Kyoto Protocol (6 h). Stratospheric chemistry and role of UV rays: ozone layer. Catalytic mechanisms of ozone depletion. Ozone hole formation (activation of chlorine radical). Chlorofluorocarbons and Montreal Protocol (4 h). HYDROSPHERE - Basics in water chemistry, and water classification. Thermocline and stratification of water bodies. Solubility of a gas in liquids: Henry Law. Oxygen solubility and dissolved oxygen. Carbon dioxide in water and pH-dependence. Basicity and alkalinity of water. Sediments (6 h). Water pollution by organic and inorganic substances, eutrophication phenomenon. Chemical and biochemical oxygen demands. Examples of ubiquitous pollutants in water (6 h). GEOSPHERE – Pedogenesis. Soil formation reactions, common chemical reactions (hydrolysis, ion exchange), and composition. Humic substance classification and role of humic and fulvic acids. Soil inorganic fraction, classification based on the granulometry. The cation exchange capacity of the soil. Soil macronutrients and micronutrients. Pollutants in soil (4 h). APPLICATIONS – Pollutant effect on the ecosystem. The fate of pollutants and their distribution in the environment depending on their physicochemical characteristics. Interaction between environment and artwork and possible degradation. Stony object alterations. Environmental conditions and exposure in urban centers. Air quality in Museums and archives (6 h).

Basic knowledge of General and Inorganic Chemistry and Organic Chemistry. From the previous courses, the student should already have acquired basic principles about chemical equilibria, in particular acid-base equilibria, buffers, pH, the oxidation number of elements. It will be also useful to know the main chemical classes of organic compounds and the concept of hydrophilicity/hydrophobicity of a molecule.

- - Slides and course notes - Chimica dell’ambiente, F. Stanley, E. Manahan (Piccin Ed.) - Chimica Ambientale, Colin Baird, Michael Cann (Zanichelli Ed.)

Lesson attendance is not mandatory for the exam, but it is strongly recommended.

At the end of the course, the student will be evaluated through both a written and an oral exam. The students have to use the INFOSTUD to book the exam (here you can find additional information about exam periods). The exam will be after the end of the course. To pass successfully the exam, the evaluation has to be at least 18/30. During the exam, the student must demonstrate comprehension of the course's main topics. The questions will be about the basic principles of environmental sciences and chemistry, and the main global and local phenomena induced by anthropogenic pollution, such as ozone layer depletion, global warming (increased greenhouse effect), smog, and pollution of soil and water (either surface or underground). The student should be able to describe the natural chemical equilibria and alteration mechanisms due to the presence of pollutants, as well as their interaction with Cultural Heritage. Furthermore, utilizing practical examples, the student should be able to describe the distribution and fate of the main pollutants in the various environmental spheres. A further parameter for a positive evaluation is the capacity of linking environmental phenomena. Finally, students should know the solutions adopted at the global level (e.g., the international protocols, etc.) to reduce the effects of such pollution phenomena and be able to consult the European environmental legislation. To summarize, in the choice of the final mark the following features are considered: 1. evidence of full comprehension of the main topics of the course; 2. clarity and completeness in the oral presentation of the contents of the course; 3. reasoning capacity; 4. critical evaluation capacity of an environmental problem; 5. capacity of linking contents from different topics. To obtain the highest mark, i.e., 30/30 cum laude, the student has to demonstrate an excellent knowledge of all the topics of the course, but most of all, the student has to be able to link logically and coherently all the arguments.

Class lessons. Several examples of old and recent pollution cases are illustrated to allow the student to understand the role of environmental chemistry in solving such problems Lesson attendance is not mandatory for the exam, but it is strongly recommended.