The imperial coach of D. Pedro II: DNA fungal identification in selected materials and its relation to biodeterioration and aerobiology

• Main Authors: Márcia Teresa Soares Lutterbach, Ana Lucia Chaves de Oliveira, Eliane Marchesini Zanatta, Antonio Carlos Augusto da Costa
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: Associação Profissional de Conservadores - Restauradores de Portugal 2013-01-01
• Series: Conservar Património
• Subjects: Coach; Biodeterioration; Molecular biology
• Online Access: https://doi.org/10.14568/cp2013003

The imperial coach of emperor D. Pedro II was built by Pearce & Countz British Company, responsible for the coachs from the British Monarchy, for his crowning ceremony, in 1841. Its component materials are of several natures, with distinct mechanical strength and some incompatibilities with environmental patterns in its place of storage. Specific parts, such as corduroy fabrics, ornaments and horse manes were investigated for microorganisms present both in the interior and exterior of the Imperial Coach. From this monitoring, 37 filamentous fungi, 6 yeasts and 4 bacterial strains were isolated (DNA sequencing). Some of them are known for their toxic and pathogenic nature. Most microbes found can damage its constituting materials.