by Elsayed, Y., Shabana, Y., Elmitwalli, H., Rashad, Y., Sreenivasaprasad, P. and Mabrouk, N.
ABSTRACT
Based on the results of our previous work, the essential oils (EOs) of black pepper, red pepper, cinnamon, ginger, and camphor proved the top maximum efficiency among the fifty tested EOs against the eighteen tested fungi. The present study aims to assay the antifungal activities and the positive/negative effects of these five EOs against A. niger, A. flavus, C. halotolerans, and N. goegapense, as well as the prevalent deteriorating fungi isolated from the historical oil paintings and textiles in the Agricultural Museum in Dokki, Giza. The vapor technique was used to disinfect the fungi-contaminated mock-ups of oil painting, cotton, and wool fabrics using the plate method. Count of spores, macro and microscopic stereo and SEM techniques, FTIR spectros-copy, and colorimetric measurements were used in assessment. The results revealed the efficient antifungal activities of all tested EOs against the selected fungi, varying from the highest (99.85%) for black pepper EO against N. goegapense to the lowest (71.65%) for camphor EO against N. goegapense. It proved that the EO of black pepper was the most potent and efficient EO among the tested ones against A. flavus, C. halotolerans, and N. goegapense. Regarding A. niger, the study revealed that the EO of ginger proved the most potent and efficient EO against it. The vapor phase method proved a very efficient and non-destructive technique against the in-fected mock-ups. In some cases, it eradicated up to ~100% of fungi without any notable changes in the prop-erties of the treated mock-ups. A small amount of black pepper EO was advised to be vapored in all closed display and storage cases in the museums as a preventive technique to inhibit the fungal growth of heritage materials.
