Search

The use of gamma-rays, ions, X-rays, electrons, or neutrons is very common for imaging, characterization, and the preservation of cultural heritage materials. Their use provides, for example, knowledge about their composition, they are used as a biocide of organic materials, or for the consolidation of materials. Concerns about the eventual side-effects (immediate and future) induced by radiation in some of these materials are growing among the different communities involved. It is very important to join the expertise, knowledge, and concerns of each radiation group together with conservators to clearly study the eventual cause (mainly due to physico-chemical mechanisms) of these side effects, which can provoke the loss of critical analytical information. Quite often objects are made of heterogeneous or composite materials, so consequences of radiation on a very well-known material can change when other materials are involved. Also important is the documentation of the radiation procedures performed on the objects, including any potential visual side-effect. Such information can be crucial for future radiation experiments or to monitor changes along time. The known side-effects observed in a wide range of materials shows the importance of investing in more research and interdisciplinary work. Some examples are: - Colour changes in transparent materials due to trapping of electrons in the vicinity of impurities ; - Overdoses of radiation can break bonds, induce cross-linking or temperature effects which can modify important properties of materials and in extreme cases affect their mechanical integrity ; - Formation of radicals, which can trigger undesirable chemical changes, such as oxidation, leading to colour changes or surface erosion. - Radiation dosages for fungicidal treatments (typically 5 to 10 kGy) can generate side-effects in sensitive materials like paper. To avoid over-exposure, the main parameters (the radiation dose and the dose rate) must be carefully controlled during radiation and optimized following the ALARA approach. Also important is to control and register the environmental parameters and experimental conditions (inert gas, vacuum, low temperature, low moisture, etc.) that can effectively mitigate some adverse effects. For documentation purposes, it will be also important to unify and clarify concepts used within different communities. For example, a dose of 1 kGy could be considered high for the “ion beam community” but not high enough for the “gamma-ray community”, and more importantly, their effects on the materials under study can be totally different. In this work, examples of visible side effects induced by different types of radiation will be shown. Possible responsible mechanisms and ways of mitigation will be discussed, also focusing on non-visible side effects and suitable approaches to detect and record them for future analysis. All researchers involved in cultural heritage materials using radiation techniques should be aware of the possible side effects that such materials may suffer from radiation and the consequences for their (future) behaviour. Only by understanding the origin of such effects, it will be possible to create strategies, protocols, and risk analysis prior to exposure. Research programs involving different communities and training programs are needed to raise our understanding and transmit knowledge.

Chestnut fruit (CasChestnuts, Castanea sativa, heavy elements, PIXEtanea sativa Miller) are an important food resource in several countries. Portugal is the third largest European producer, with an average production of 25 thousand tons [1], being mainly produced in the North region of Trás-os-Montes. Earlier studies on chestnuts elemental composition were performed by atomic absorption to detect Ca, Mg, Na, K, Cu, Fe, Mn and Zn or by UV-VIS spectrophotometry to detect P [2-3]. In this work the elemental composition of two cultivars (Longal and Judia) of Castanea sativa Miller were studied by means of PIXE (Proton Induced X-ray Emission), using a broad proton beam at CTN-IST, Lisbon. Element identification (from Si to Pb) and quantification (following the method described in [4]) was done. Preliminary results show different composition according with the cultivar, not only in the major and minor elements (as it is described in the bibliography) but also in the trace elements, which includes the presence of Pb and other heavy elements. These preliminary results are part of a wider project that aims to evaluate chestnut fruits decontamination treatment with high energy electron beam and X-rays technology. This work was developed within the Coordinated Research Project D61024 ‘‘Development of New Applications of Machine Generated Food Irradiation Technologies’’ financed by the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA).

A concentração na castanha de minerais como o cálcio, potássio, o magnésio e outros tem sido estudada tradicionalmente por absorção atómica ou por espectrofotometria de UV-VIS [1-2]. Neste trabalho foi estudada a composição elementar de duas variedades (Longal e Judia) de castanha europeia (Castanea sativa Mill.) com a técnica PIXE (Proton Induced X-ray Emission). Os resultados preliminares mostram que a composição difere de acordo com a variedade, nos elementos maioritários e nos minoritários. Este estudo é parte de um projecto mais amplo, que visa avaliar o efeito do processamento pós-colheita de alimentos com feixe de electrões e raios-X. Coordinated Research Project D61024 ‘‘Development of New Applications of Machine Generated Food Irradiation Technologies’’, Agência Internacional de Energia Atómica (AIEA).