Versatile hydrogel and biosensor as a powerful tool in paper artworks cleaning process

Paper artworks are difficult item to deal with in a conservation treatment, due to their inherent fragility, their degradation processes and their multi-component composition. Moreover, past restoration treatments can complicate the scenario, as the ancient paper artworks have been often reinforced with inappropriate lining materials like paper scraps, cardboard or wood, directly adhered to the original piece by means of paste or glue. The goal of this work is the development of innovative materials able to remove different contaminants from paper artworks (dust, cellulose degradation by-product and adhesive residues) in an “one step”, simple and not invasive treatment. The materials, based on biocompatible hydrogels, overcome many of the problems usually found by conservators during the cleaning of paper supports. Moreover, a suitable electrochemical tool, coupled with the gel has been developed to monitor the cleaning process. More in detail, this proposed system is based on highly potential electrochemical biosensors, easy to prepare, selective for a specific analyte and therefore useful to know the cleanup extent of the gels used. The gel is highly efficient in removing pollutants and degradation products, and using biosensors it is also possible to know when the cleaning treatment will be completed. To assess the efficacy of our designed system, a multidisciplinary approach, combining non-invasive spectroscopic infrared techniques together with scanning electron microscopy, chromatographic analysis, pH investigations and electrochemical measurements, will be used.