Sustainable Cultural Heritage Conservation: Green Nuclear Physics for Non-invasive Approach to the Conservation and Preservation of Cultural Heritage Artifacts

Dear Colleagues,

Sustainability of cultural heritage diagnosis and treatment interventions refers to the ability to maintain the preservation and integrity of cultural heritage objects and sites in a way that meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to do the same.

This concept encompasses a range of factors, including the use of appropriate and non-invasive diagnostic techniques, the selection of sustainable and reversible conservation treatments, the use of long-lasting materials and the implementation of preventive conservation measures to reduce the need for future interventions.

It also includes the involvement of local communities and stakeholders in the conservation and management of cultural heritage sites to ensure their active participation in the decision-making process, and to promote the cultural heritage value and its meaning to the society.

Another aspect of sustainability in cultural heritage diagnosis and treatment interventions is the creation of digital documentation and archiving of cultural heritage objects and sites, which allows us to share the information with a wider public, promote the heritage and ensure its preservation for future generations.

Additionally, sustainability implies the responsible use of new technologies and innovations, such as Artificial Intelligence, in the field of cultural heritage diagnosis and treatment, ensuring the respect of ethical principles and the protection of the heritage value.

The use of nuclear physics techniques in cultural heritage conservation is a relatively new field of applications known as 'green nuclear physics'. This approach involves non-destructive techniques to study, to analyze and also to treat the cultural artifacts by extending their life and preventing their further damage.

Nuclear physics techniques are viable as sustainable applications of pigments analysis in paintings. They allow conservators to identify compositional elements and the original production techniques of assets and to study the structure of artifacts in a non-invasive way.

Green nuclear physics is fully sustainable in processes of biodegradation removal: ionizing radiations, such as X- and Gamma-rays or electrons, can penetrate deep into the material and break the chemical bonds of deteriogens slowing down the decay process. They are useful for macro- and micro-organisms sterilization, for infestation treatment, for stabilization and preservation of materials, and for the consolidation of fragile artefacts.

Overall, the use of green nuclear physics in cultural heritage conservation is a highly sustainable approach and holds great promise as a non-invasive and effective way to conserve and preserve our cultural heritage for future generations. The scientific literature still needs to be enriched, and it is necessary to disseminate the results of the interesting researches that experts in the sector are conducting with particular attention paid to the sustainability of the used and proposed methods.

Sustainability in cultural heritage conservation requires the active involvement and support of the scientific community: this Special Issue, dedicated to the sustainable use of nuclear techniques for cultural heritage conservation, invites experts in green nuclear physics treatments for cultural heritage conservation, including nuclear scientists, nuclear engineers, physicists, chemists and archaeologists, working in research institutes, universities and government laboratories, which have experience in the fields of nuclear techniques, radiation chemistry, materials science and cultural heritage preservation.

This issue of the journal, promoting the sustainability aspect of the use of green nuclear physics, is also addressed to experts from professional organizations, energy agencies, international councils and international centers for the study of conservation and restoration of cultural heritage, which promotes the use of nuclear physics techniques for the conservation of cultural heritage, and also caters to the operators of many museums, heritage sites and conservation organizations that have personnel with specialized training in the application of physics techniques nuclear power for the conservation of cultural heritage.

Dr. Monia Vadrucci
Guest Editor

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• sustainable systems for the cultural heritage diagnosis with nuclear methods
• green nuclear physics treatments of the cultural heritage assets
• technologies and innovations of nuclear physics applied to cultural heritage
• particle accelerators to produce X-rays and electrons for imaging and material analysis
• chemical composition analysis based on nuclear physics approach
• studies of cultural heritage with isotopic techniques
• neutron activation analysis (NAA) and prompt gamma activation analysis (PGAA)
• future approaches for the sustainable conservation of cultural heritage