THE EFFECT OF SOME ESSENTIAL OILS ON ASPERGILLUS NIGER AND ALTERNARIA ALTERNATA INFESTATION IN ARCHAEOLOGICAL OIL PAINTINGS

Abstract

The main objective of this research is to evaluate using four plant essential oils; marjoram, camphor, clove,

and basil as an eco-friendly methods for their antifungal activities against Aspergillus niger and Alternaria

alternata as two of the most common fungi infesting the heritage oil paintings and other heritage objects. The

research focuses on: 1) evaluating the efficacy of the four selected essential oils in suppressing the selected

fungi cultivated on agar plates. It is found that clove and camphor oils respectively are the most potent oils

due to their optimum antifungal activity. Both efficiently inhibited the growth of both fungi especially at

higher concentrations. 2) evaluating the using of clove and camphor oils in suppressing the selected fungi

cultivated on simulated canvas painting model, camphor oil at concentration 80% (v/v) showed a better

antifungal activity than clove for both fungi. Camphor oil had been proven as the most potent antifungal oil

and preserving the simulated canvas painting models with no notable side-effects on the properties of

painting models.