Radiosensibility of spores in aqueous suspension of fungi that attack papers

The paper and graphic documents can be affected by biological, chemical and physical agents. Among the biological agents, the most important are the fungi and insects, causing damage to bibliographic materials and promoting the deterioration and destruction of scientific-historical or cultural valuable documents. Together with the traditional methods of fungal prevention, like the application of fumigants, studies have been made since the late sixties, with the employment of gamma radiation for the desinfection of materials affected by fungi. The objective of this paper was to study the radiosensibility of the spores of the principal fungi that attack papers. The results showed that the spores in water suspension have different levels of sensibility when irradiated with different doses of gamma radiation. The Do doses survival of 37% of the spores-varied from 1,43 (cladosporium cladosporioides) to 0,077 kGy (Penicillium purpurogenum). (author). 12 refs., 3 figs., 3 tabs