Nuclear Science Preserves Art

30 January 2011

Producer:
Producer: Louise Potterton, Video Editor: Petr Pavlicek

Nuclear techniques are being used to protect and preserve works of art around the world. The techniques are supported by the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), which operates projects to preserve cultural heritage artefacts using radiation. Books, furniture, archives, musical instruments, wooden sculptures even mummies can be attacked and destroyed by bacteria, fungi, mould and insects. They are brought from churches, museums and conservation centres to irradiation facilities where they are treated with gamma rays. One centre is the IRASM Radiation Processing Centre in Bucharest, which was established in 2000 with the support of an IAEA Technical Cooperation project.

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Department of Nuclear Sciences and Applications Department of Technical Cooperation Technical cooperation programme Nuclear instrumentation Nuclear technology and applications Division of Physical and Chemical Sciences Radioisotope Products and Radiation Technology Section Material and structural analysis Treatment and restoration Cultural heritage Europe

Nuclear Science Preserves Art

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