Development of an analytical methodology based on stable isotope ratios for air quality assessment in cultural heritage

The preservation and conservation of cultural heritage require a multidisciplinary approach related both to material and environmental science. The study focuses on an innovative application of stable isotope analyses to assess the air quality in cultural heritage sites both indoor (museums, churches, historical buildings) and outdoor (archeological sites). Results of our analysis showed that the value of stable carbon isotope varies with visitor presence or different concentrations of air pollutants. These findings suggest that the proposed methodology is suitable to identify problems related to air quality in cultural sites, thus helping preservation actions that must be done.