A Spray-On Microemulsion with Mold-Proof Effect on Paper

Abstract

Archives, ancient books, and documents kept in museums and libraries are the carriers of historic and cultural information left by our ancestors. However, these paper cultural relics can show notorious signs of degradation, e.g., fungal development. Due to the organic components of paper objects, they suffer from fungal biodeterioration. The excreted substances of fungi and the fungi’s structures themselves are often colored and interfere with the readability of the artifacts, diminishing their artistic and monetary values. In this study, we collected and separated the moldy archives collected in the Archives of Shaanxi Province (China) and obtained the identification results of eight kinds of molds. Clotrimazole (CTZ) and quaternary ammonium salt chitosan (HACC) were combined to prepare a microemulsion. Synergies of CTZ and HACC could enhance the antifungal effect and reduce the required concentration of a single drug. The composite emulsion could effectively improve the retention of drugs on the surface of paper cultural relics, improve the solubility of hydrophobic drugs, and provide a data basis for the anti-mold preservation of paper cultural relics.