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89-544: (Redirected from Conservation Science ) Conservation science may refer to: Conservation science (cultural heritage) , the interdisciplinary study of care and protection of art, architecture, and other cultural works Conservation biology , interdisciplinary study of protection of biodiversity Environmental science , interdisciplinary study of protection of environment and natural resources See also [ edit ] Conservation (disambiguation) Topics referred to by

178-643: A relative humidity (RH) of below 65% and above 40% and an ideal temperature between 18 and 20 °C (64 and 68 °F). Textiles are woven fabrics or cloth that represent culture, material legacy of international trade, social history, agricultural development, artistic trends, and technological progress. There are four main material sources: animal , plant , mineral , and synthetic. Deterioration of textiles can be caused by exposure to ultraviolet (UV) or infrared light (IR), incorrect relative humidity and temperature, pests, pollutants, and physical forces such as fire and water. Textiles may be treated in

267-535: A 10%+ compound rate, doubling in abundance every seven years. There are now about 21,000 desalination plants in operation around the globe. The biggest ones are in the United Arab Emirates , Saudi Arabia , and Israel. The world's largest desalination plant is located in Saudi Arabia ( Ras Al-Khair Power and Desalination Plant ) with a capacity of 1,401,000 cubic meters per day. Desalination

356-502: A April 2024, researchers from the Australian National University published experimental results of a novel technique for desalination. This technique, thermodiffusive desalination, passes saline water through a channel with a temperature gradient. Species migrate under this temperature gradient in a process known a thermodiffusion. Researchers then separated the water into fractions. After multiple passes through

445-479: A buffer tank on a hill with seawater. The reverse osmosis process receives its pressurized seawater feed in non-sunlight hours by gravity, resulting in sustainable drinking water production without the need for fossil fuels, an electricity grid or batteries. Nano-tubes are also used for the same function (i.e., Reverse Osmosis). Forward osmosis uses a semi-permeable membrane to effect separation of water from dissolved solutes. The driving force for this separation

534-418: A concern when doing X-ray and electron-based imaging. Conservation scientists may specialize with specific materials and work closely with conservators and curators in order to determine appropriate analysis and treatment methods. Desalination Desalination is a process that removes mineral components from saline water . More generally, desalination is the removal of salts and minerals from

623-701: A decade of regional drought. By the late 1960s and the early 1970s, RO started to show promising results to replace traditional thermal desalination units. Research took place at state universities in California, at the Dow Chemical Company and DuPont . Many studies focus on ways to optimize desalination systems. The first commercial RO plant, the Coalinga desalination plant, was inaugurated in California in 1965 for brackish water . Dr. Sidney Loeb , in conjunction with staff at UCLA , designed

712-441: A direct effect on relative humidity: as warm air cools, relative humidity increases and as cool air warms up, relative humidity falls. Dampness can cause the growth of mold which has its own damaging properties. Research in the field has determined the various ranges and fluctuations of incorrect humidity, the sensitivity of various objects to each one, and has helped establish guidelines for proper environmental conditions specific to

801-633: A large pilot plant to gather data on RO, but was successful enough to provide freshwater to the residents of Coalinga. This was a milestone in desalination technology, as it proved the feasibility of RO and its advantages compared to existing technologies (efficiency, no phase change required, ambient temperature operation, scalability, and ease of standardization). A few years later, in 1975, the first sea water reverse osmosis desalination plant came into operation. As of 2000, more than 2000 plants were operated. The largest are in Saudi Arabia, Israel, and

890-450: A leaching out of unstable components that produce an alkaline solution . If allowed to remain on the glass for an extended period of time, this solution can produce fine cracks known as crizzling . Careful handling and storage is the surest means to preventing damage to glass and ceramics. The below table displays recommended storage conditions for damaged and unstable objects: Metals are produced from ores that are found naturally in

979-434: A lower temperature, when the ambient atmospheric pressure is less than usual atmospheric pressure. Thus, because of the reduced pressure, low-temperature "waste" heat from electrical power generation or industrial processes can be employed. Water is evaporated and separated from sea water through multi-stage flash distillation , which is a series of flash evaporations . Each subsequent flash process uses energy released from

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1068-486: A multidisciplinary desalination methodology in the IBTS Greenhouse . The IBTS is an industrial desalination (power)plant on one side and a greenhouse operating with the natural water cycle (scaled down 1:10) on the other side. The various processes of evaporation and condensation are hosted in low-tech utilities, partly underground and the architectural shape of the building itself. This integrated biotectural system

1157-826: A number of ways including vacuuming, wet cleaning, dry cleaning, steaming, and ironing. To preserve the integrity of textiles, storage and display environments result in as little light exposure as possible. Safe environments for textiles include those with a temperature of around 21 °C (70 °F) and relative humidity of 50%. Leather is a manufactured product made from the skin of animals. Leather can deteriorate from red rot , excessive dryness resulting in cracking and breakage, fading from exposure to light, mold resulting in odors, stains, and distortion, and insects and dust, both of which can cause holes and abrasions. Corrosion can also occur when leather comes into contact with metals. There are two primary methods for leather conservation: application of dressings or treatments to prolong

1246-577: A particular object or artwork. In turn, this knowledge informs how deterioration is likely to occur due to both environmental effects and the inherent traits of that given material. The necessary environment to maintain or prolong the current state of that material, and which treatments will have the least amount of reaction and impact on the materials of the objects being studied, are the primary goals of conservation research. Conservation treatments fall under four broad categories including cleaning, desalination , consolidation, and pest control . Knowledge of

1335-475: A range of environmental conditions. One method used by scientists is to artificially age objects in order to study what conditions cause or mitigate deterioration. The results of these investigations informs the field on the major risk factors as well as the strategies to control and monitor environmental conditions to aid in long term preservation. Further, scientific inquiry has led to the development of more stable and long-term treatment methods and techniques for

1424-418: A significant effect on efficiency and durability. A study found that a membrane created via co-axial electrospinning of PVDF - HFP and silica aerogel was able to filter 99.99% of salt after continuous 30-day usage. The leading process for desalination in terms of installed capacity and yearly growth is reverse osmosis (RO). The RO membrane processes use semipermeable membranes and applied pressure (on

1513-457: A substance. One example is soil desalination . This is important for agriculture. It is possible to desalinate saltwater, especially sea water , to produce water for human consumption or irrigation. The by-product of the desalination process is brine . Many seagoing ships and submarines use desalination. Modern interest in desalination mostly focuses on cost-effective provision of fresh water for human use. Along with recycled wastewater , it

1602-492: A vacuum. Under vacuum conditions the ice, desalinated, is melted and diverted for collection and the salt is collected. Electrodialysis uses electric potential to move the salts through pairs of charged membranes, which trap salt in alternating channels. Several variances of electrodialysis exist such as conventional electrodialysis , electrodialysis reversal . Electrodialysis can simultaneously remove salt and carbonic acid from seawater. Preliminary estimates suggest that

1691-487: A vertical tube seawater distilling unit that, thanks to its simplicity of design and ease of construction, gained popularity for shipboard use. Land-based units did not significantly appear until the latter half of the nineteenth century. In the 1860s, the US Army purchased three Normandy evaporators, each rated at 7000 gallons/day and installed them on the islands of Key West and Dry Tortugas . Another land-based plant

1780-524: Is CETO , a wave power technology that desalinates seawater using submerged buoys. Wave-powered desalination plants began operating on Garden Island in Western Australia in 2013 and in Perth in 2015. Membrane distillation uses a temperature difference across a membrane to evaporate vapor from a brine solution and condense pure water on the colder side. The design of the membrane can have

1869-403: Is distillation (i.e., boiling and re- condensation of seawater to leave salt and impurities behind). There are currently two technologies with a large majority of the world's desalination capacity: multi-stage flash distillation and reverse osmosis . Solar distillation mimics the natural water cycle, in which the sun heats sea water enough for evaporation to occur. After evaporation,

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1958-408: Is a biodegradable , organic material that is susceptible to deterioration from both living organisms and environmental factors. Some ancient wood is recognized for its archaeological value and falls into two categories: dry and waterlogged. The recommended temperature for storage and display of wooden artifacts is 21 °C (70 °F) during the winter months and 21–24 °C (70–75 °F) during

2047-434: Is a baseline for many museums, adjustments are often needed for based on specific situations. Conservation science has informed the industry on the levels of light sensitivity of common materials used in material culture and the length of time permissible before deterioration is likely to occur. Control strategies must be considered on an item by item basis. Light, ultraviolet, and thermometers for infrared radiation are some of

2136-451: Is an artificial process by which saline water (generally sea water ) is converted to fresh water. The most common desalination processes are distillation and reverse osmosis . There are several methods. Each has advantages and disadvantages but all are useful. The methods can be divided into membrane-based (e.g., reverse osmosis ) and thermal-based (e.g., multistage flash distillation ) methods. The traditional process of desalination

2225-548: Is an osmotic pressure gradient, such as a "draw" solution of high concentration. Freeze–thaw desalination (or freezing desalination) uses freezing to remove fresh water from salt water. Salt water is sprayed during freezing conditions into a pad where an ice-pile builds up. When seasonal conditions warm, naturally desalinated melt water is recovered. This technique relies on extended periods of natural sub-freezing conditions. A different freeze–thaw method, not weather dependent and invented by Alexander Zarchin , freezes seawater in

2314-418: Is currently expensive compared to most alternative sources of water, and only a very small fraction of total human use is satisfied by desalination. It is usually only economically practical for high-valued uses (such as household and industrial uses) in arid areas. However, there is growth in desalination for agricultural use and highly populated areas such as Singapore or California. The most extensive use

2403-473: Is dependent on the brittleness or hardness of the object's material and the magnitude of the force being inflicted. Impact, shock, vibration, pressure, and abrasion are a few examples of physical forces that can have adverse effects on material culture. Physical forces can occur from natural disasters like earthquakes, working forces like handling, cumulative forces like gravity, or low-level forces like building vibrations. During an object's risk assessment ,

2492-527: Is different from Wikidata All article disambiguation pages All disambiguation pages Conservation science (cultural heritage) Prior to thorough scientific analysis, a detailed visual assessment of the object, heritage site, or artwork is necessary in addition to gathering all relevant historic and current documentation. Diagnosing the current state in a non-invasive way allows both conservators and conservation scientists to determine exactly what further analysis would be required and whether

2581-425: Is expected that costs will continue to decrease with technology improvements that include, but are not limited to, improved efficiency, reduction in plant footprint, improvements to plant operation and optimization, more effective feed pretreatment, and lower cost energy sources. Reverse osmosis uses a thin-film composite membrane, which comprises an ultra-thin, aromatic polyamide thin-film. This polyamide film gives

2670-504: Is in the Persian Gulf . While noting costs are falling, and generally positive about the technology for affluent areas in proximity to oceans, a 2005 study argued, "Desalinated water may be a solution for some water-stress regions, but not for places that are poor, deep in the interior of a continent, or at high elevation. Unfortunately, that includes some of the places with the biggest water problems.", and, "Indeed, one needs to lift

2759-455: Is made up of cellulose fibers . The deterioration of paper may be the result of pests such as vermin, insects, and microbes, or by theft, fire, and flood. More specifically, paper deteriorates from two mechanisms that alter its hue and weaken its fibers: acid-catalyzed hydrolysis and oxidation. Treatment for paper includes deacidification , bleaching and washing. Safe environments for the storage and display of paper artifacts include having

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2848-407: Is more cost effective if kept at a small scale. Wave powered desalination systems generally convert mechanical wave motion directly to hydraulic power for reverse osmosis. Such systems aim to maximize efficiency and reduce costs by avoiding conversion to electricity, minimizing excess pressurization above the osmotic pressure, and innovating on hydraulic and wave power components. One such example

2937-493: Is most suitable for large scale desert greening as it has a km footprint for the water distillation and the same for landscape transformation in desert greening, respectively the regeneration of natural fresh water cycles. In vacuum distillation atmospheric pressure is reduced, thus lowering the temperature required to evaporate the water. Liquids boil when the vapor pressure equals the ambient pressure and vapor pressure increases with temperature. Effectively, liquids boil at

3026-417: Is one of the few water resources independent of rainfall. Due to its energy consumption, desalinating sea water is generally more costly than fresh water from surface water or groundwater , water recycling and water conservation ; however, these alternatives are not always available and depletion of reserves is a critical problem worldwide. Desalination processes are using either thermal methods (in

3115-507: Is risk to the conservators themselves. For example, some pigments used in paintings contain highly toxic elements such as arsenic or lead and could be hazardous to those working with them. Alternatively, previous restoration efforts may have involved chemicals that are now known to have dangerous side effects with prolonged exposure. In these cases, conservation science may reveal the nature of these hazards as well as present solutions for how to prevent current and future exposure. Research into

3204-482: Is the basis for all good practice. Conservation science aids in the authentication or identification of misplaced objects and detailed records of all past, present, and future study is necessary for the prevention of dissociation. There are a variety of methods used by conservation scientists to support work in the fields of art conservation , architectural conservation , cultural heritage , and care of cultural objects in museums and other collections. In addition to

3293-449: Is the most thermodynamically efficient among methods powered by heat, a few limitations exist such as a max temperature and max number of effects. Vapor-compression evaporation involves using either a mechanical compressor or a jet stream to compress the vapor present above the liquid. The compressed vapor is then used to provide the heat needed for the evaporation of the rest of the sea water. Since this system only requires power, it

3382-749: The Middle Ages , but desalination became feasible on a large scale only in the modern era. A good example of this experimentation comes from Leonardo da Vinci (Florence, 1452), who realized that distilled water could be made cheaply in large quantities by adapting a still to a cookstove. During the Middle Ages elsewhere in Central Europe, work continued on distillation refinements, although not necessarily directed towards desalination. The first major land-based desalination plant may have been installed under emergency conditions on an island off

3471-662: The South Seas , reported that he had been able to supply his men with fresh water by means of shipboard distillation. Additionally, during the early 1600s, several prominent figures of the era such as Francis Bacon and Walter Raleigh published reports on desalination. These reports and others, set the climate for the first patent dispute concerning desalination apparatus. The two first patents regarding water desalination were approved in 1675 and 1683 (patents No. 184 and No. 226, published by William Walcot and Robert Fitzgerald (and others), respectively). Nevertheless, neither of

3560-433: The authentication or identification of stolen objects. In addition, the research of the field can help inform decisions as to the best course of action repair, minimize, or mitigate damage from vandalism. Dissociation is the loss of an object, its associated data, or its value due to outside influence. Adherence to proper policies and procedures is the best defense against dissociation and as such, meticulous record keeping

3649-457: The 1500s, and formulated practical advice that was publicized to all U.S. ships on the reverse side of sailing clearance permits. Beginning about 1800, things started changing as a consequence of the appearance of the steam engine and the so-called age of steam . Knowledge of the thermodynamics of steam processes and the need for a pure water source for its use in boilers generated a positive effect regarding distilling systems. Additionally,

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3738-479: The RO membranes are destroyed. To mitigate damage, various pretreatment stages are introduced. Anti-scaling inhibitors include acids and other agents such as the organic polymers polyacrylamide and polymaleic acid , phosphonates and polyphosphates . Inhibitors for fouling are biocides (as oxidants against bacteria and viruses), such as chlorine, ozone, sodium or calcium hypochlorite. At regular intervals, depending on

3827-659: The UAE; and the biggest plant with a volume of 1,401,000 m3/d is in Saudi Arabia (Ras Al Khair). As of 2021 22,000 plants were in operation In 2024 the Catalan government installed a floating offshore plant near the port of Barcelona and purchased 12 mobile desalination units for the northern region of the Costa Brava to combat the severe drought. In 2012, cost averaged $ 0.75 per cubic meter. By 2022, that had declined (before inflation) to $ 0.41. Desalinated supplies are growing at

3916-456: The air, or intrinsically as part of the object's makeup. They all have the potential to cause adverse reactions with material culture. Conservation science aids in identifying both material and pollutant properties and the types of reactions that will occur. Reactions range from discoloration and stains, to acidification and structural weakening. Dust is one of the most common airborne pollutants and its presence can attract pests as well as alter

4005-436: The atmosphere and ranges from damp to dry. Material properties determine the effect that different levels of RH can have on any particular item. Organic materials like wood, paper, and leather, as well as some inorganic material like metals are susceptible to damage from incorrect RH. Damage ranges from physical changes like cracking and warping of organic materials to chemical reactions like corrosion of metals. Temperature has

4094-402: The balance between needing light for patrons and guests and exposure to the collection. Any amount of light can be damaging to a variety of objects and artworks and the effects are cumulative and irreversible. Conservation science has helped establish 50 Lux as the benchmark level of light intensity that allows the human eye to operate within the full range the visible light spectrum. While this

4183-432: The building structure. The lightning current will generate heat after passing through the timber and generate gas inside, and the impact force formed by the instantaneous expansion of the gas will knock the wood out of damage pits or cracks. Stone decorations on ancient buildings may also suffer physical damage from lightning. Relative humidity (RH) is the measure of the humidity, or the water vapor content, in relation to

4272-473: The case of distillation ) or membrane-based methods (e.g. in the case of reverse osmosis ). An estimate in 2018 found that "18,426 desalination plants are in operation in over 150 countries. They produce 87 million cubic meters of clean water each day and supply over 300 million people." The energy intensity has improved: It is now about 3 kWh/m (in 2018), down by a factor of 10 from 20–30 kWh/m in 1970. Nevertheless, desalination represented about 25% of

4361-414: The channel, the researchers were able to achieve NaCL concentration drop of 25000 ppm with a recovery rate of 10% of the original water volume. The desalination process's energy consumption depends on the water's salinity. Brackish water desalination requires less energy than seawater desalination. The energy intensity of seawater desalination has improved: It is now about 3 kWh/m (in 2018), down by

4450-413: The chemical and physical properties intrinsic to the materials used to create cultural heritage objects is a large part of the study of conservation science. Materials science , in conjunction with the broader field of restoration and preservation, has resulted in what is now recognized as modern conservation. Using analytical techniques and tools, conservation scientists are able to determine what makes up

4539-656: The coast of Tunisia in 1560. It is believed that a garrison of 700 Spanish soldiers was besieged by the Turkish army and that, during the siege, the captain in charge fabricated a still capable of producing 40 barrels of fresh water per day, though details of the device have not been reported. Before the Industrial Revolution , desalination was primarily of concern to oceangoing ships, which otherwise needed to keep on board supplies of fresh water. Sir Richard Hawkins (1562–1622), who made extensive travels in

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4628-421: The condensation of the water vapor from the previous step. Multiple-effect distillation (MED) works through a series of steps called "effects". Incoming water is sprayed onto pipes which are then heated to generate steam. The steam is then used to heat the next batch of incoming sea water. To increase efficiency, the steam used to heat the sea water can be taken from nearby power plants. Although this method

4717-707: The construction of over 200 electrodialysis and distillation plants globally, reverse osmosis (RO) research, and international cooperation (for example, the First International Water Desalination Symposium and Exposition in 1965). The Office of Saline Water merged into the Office of Water Resources Research in 1974. The first industrial desalination plant in the United States opened in Freeport, Texas in 1961 after

4806-444: The cost of such carbon removal can be paid for in large part if not entirely from the sale of the desalinated water produced as a byproduct. Microbial desalination cells are biological electrochemical systems that implements the use of electro-active bacteria to power desalination of water in situ , resourcing the natural anode and cathode gradient of the electro-active bacteria and thus creating an internal supercapacitor . In

4895-407: The energy consumed by the water sector in 2016. Ancient Greek philosopher Aristotle observed in his work Meteorology that "salt water, when it turns into vapour, becomes sweet and the vapour does not form salt water again when it condenses", and that a fine wax vessel would hold potable water after being submerged long enough in seawater, having acted as a membrane to filter the salt. At

4984-592: The environment. Most metal objects are made from a combination of individual metals called alloys and exhibit different strengths and colors based on their composition. Metals and alloys commonly found in cultural objects include gold , silver , copper , pewter , tin , and iron . The most common form of deterioration for metal is corrosion . Corrosion occurs when metals come into contact with water, acids, bases, salts, oils, polishes, pollutants and chemicals. Mechanical damage, breakage, dents, and scratches can occur from mishandling metal objects and result in damage to

5073-705: The growth of other pests such as mold. In addition to the physical effects of water directly on an object or artwork, moisture in the air directly affects relative humidity which can in turn exacerbate deterioration and damage. Light causes cumulative and irreversible damage to light-sensitive objects. The energy from light interacts with objects at the molecular level and can lead to both physical and chemical damage such as fading, darkening, yellowing, embrittlement, and stiffening. Ultraviolet radiation and Infrared radiation , in addition to visible light , can be emitted from light sources and can also be damaging to material culture. Cultural institutions are tasked with finding

5162-402: The life of the leather and improving the means by which leather is stored. The second method is a preventive approach while the first, an older method, is an interventive approach. Leather artifacts are best stored with relative humidity between 45% and 55% and a temperature of 18–20 °C (64–68 °F). Glass and ceramics can be maintained for much longer periods of time and are two of

5251-462: The material and eventual deterioration over time. Pests include microorganisms, insects, and rodents and are able to disfigure, damage, and destroy material culture. Both organic material and inorganic material are highly susceptible. Damage can occur from pests consuming, burrowing into, and excreting on material. The presence of pests can be the result of other deterioration mechanisms such as incorrect temperature, incorrect relative humidity, and

5340-546: The material properties of cultural heritage and how they deteriorate over time helps conservators formulate actions to preserve and conserve cultural heritage. In many countries, including the United Kingdom and Italy , conservation science is considered part of the broader field called ' Heritage Science ' which also encompasses scientific aspects less directly related to cultural heritage conservation , as well its management and interpretation. The majority of paper

5429-420: The material properties of the object will inform the necessary steps (i.e. building, housing, and handling) that need to take place to mitigate the effects of physical forces. Theft , the removal of an asset, and vandalism , the deliberate destruction or disfigurement of an asset, are directly controlled and limited by the security measures put in place at a cultural institution. Conservation science can aid in

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5518-507: The membrane contamination; fluctuating seawater conditions; or when prompted by monitoring processes, the membranes need to be cleaned, known as emergency or shock-flushing. Flushing is done with inhibitors in a fresh water solution and the system must go offline. This procedure is environmentally risky, since contaminated water is diverted into the ocean without treatment. Sensitive marine habitats can be irreversibly damaged. Off-grid solar-powered desalination units use solar energy to fill

5607-438: The membrane feed side) to preferentially induce water permeation through the membrane while rejecting salts. Reverse osmosis plant membrane systems typically use less energy than thermal desalination processes. Energy cost in desalination processes varies considerably depending on water salinity, plant size and process type. At present the cost of seawater desalination, for example, is higher than traditional water sources, but it

5696-674: The membrane its transport properties, whereas the remainder of the thin-film composite membrane provides mechanical support. The polyamide film is a dense, void-free polymer with a high surface area, allowing for its high water permeability. A recent study has found that the water permeability is primarily governed by the internal nanoscale mass distribution of the polyamide active layer. The reverse osmosis process requires maintenance. Various factors interfere with efficiency: ionic contamination (calcium, magnesium etc.); dissolved organic carbon (DOC); bacteria; viruses; colloids and insoluble particulates; biofouling and scaling . In extreme cases,

5785-640: The metal object. Over polishing can lead to deterioration and potentially misidentification by removing plating, decoration, makers' marks, or engravings. Mechanical, electrical, and chemical interventions are often used in the treatment of metals. Appropriate storage of metal objects helps to increase their longevity; it is recommended that metal objects be stored in closed systems with well-sealed doors and drawers with relative humidity between 35 and 55%. Plastics experience degradation from several factors including light, ultraviolet radiation , oxygen, water, heat, and pollutants. There are no international standards for

5874-527: The most durable materials. The biggest risk to glass and ceramics is breakage, however improper display and storage can lead to stains and discoloration. Ceramics can become stained from inappropriate cleaning and repair while porous or cracked ceramics can develop stains from being soaked in water during cleaning. Increased temperatures can cause darkening of already existing stains and can lead to cracks. Glass can become damaged from 'weeping glass' wherein droplets of moisture form on glass surfaces. This can lead to

5963-418: The object's surface. Research in the field informs conservators on how to properly manage damage that occurs as well as means to monitor and control pollutant levels. Physical forces are any interaction with an object that changes its current state of motion. Physical forces can cause a range of damage from small cracks and fissures to complete destruction or disintegration of material. The level of damage

6052-698: The objects in question. Material properties directly determine the appropriate temperature needed to preserve that item. Incorrect temperatures, whether too high, too low, or fluctuating between the two, can cause varying levels of deterioration for objects. Temperatures that are too high can lead to chemical and physical damage such as embrittlement , cracking, fading, and disintegration. Too high temperatures can also promote biological reactions like mold growth. Temperatures that are too low can also result in physical damages such as embrittlement and cracking. Temperature fluctuations can cause materials to expand and contract rapidly which causes stress to build up within

6141-483: The presence of water. Fumigation and pesticides may also be damaging to certain materials and requires careful consideration. Conservation science has aided in the development of thermal control methods to eradicate pests. Pollutants consist of a wide range of compounds that can have detrimental chemical reactions with objects. Pollutants can be gases , aerosols , liquids , or solids and are able to reach objects from transference from other objects, dissipation in

6230-401: The process by which the various mechanisms of deterioration cause changes to material culture that affect their longevity for future generations. These mechanisms may produce chemical , physical , or biological changes and differ based on the material properties of the subject at hand. A large portion of conservation science research is the study of the behavior of different materials under

6319-437: The same term [REDACTED] This disambiguation page lists articles associated with the title Conservation science . If an internal link led you here, you may wish to change the link to point directly to the intended article. Retrieved from " https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Conservation_science&oldid=1111320955 " Category : Disambiguation pages Hidden categories: Short description

6408-920: The same time the desalination of seawater was recorded in China. Both the Classic of Mountains and Water Seas in the Period of the Warring States and the Theory of the Same Year in the Eastern Han Dynasty mentioned that people found that the bamboo mats used for steaming rice would form a thin outer layer after long use. The as-formed thin film had adsorption and ion exchange functions, which could adsorb salt. Numerous examples of experimentation in desalination appeared throughout Antiquity and

6497-407: The sea and somewhat high, such as Riyadh and Harare . By contrast in other locations transport costs are much less, such as Beijing, Bangkok , Zaragoza , Phoenix , and, of course, coastal cities like Tripoli . After desalination at Jubail , Saudi Arabia, water is pumped 320 km inland to Riyadh . For coastal cities, desalination is increasingly viewed as a competitive choice. In 2023, Israel

6586-417: The spread of European colonialism induced a need for freshwater in remote parts of the world, thus creating the appropriate climate for water desalination. In parallel with the development and improvement of systems using steam ( multiple-effect evaporators ), these type of devices quickly demonstrated their desalination potential. In 1852, Alphonse René le Mire de Normandy was issued a British patent for

6675-605: The storage of plastics so it is common for museums to employ similar methods to those used to preserve paper and other organic materials. A wide range of instruments and techniques can be used in the treatment of plastics including 3-D scanning and printing technologies as a means of reproducing broken or missing parts. Recommended relative humidity for plastics is 50% along with a temperature of 18–20 °C (64–68 °F). Stone objects take on many forms including sculpture, architecture, ornamental decoration, or functional pieces. Deterioration of stone depends on several factors such as

6764-528: The structure. See also conservation and restoration of wooden artifacts . Painting materials include acrylic paint , oil paint , egg tempera , lacquer , water color , and gouache . Conservation techniques for paintings include dirt and varnish removal, consolidation, structural treatments, in-painting , in-filling, and retouching of losses. It is recommended that paintings be stored with other heritage and art collections. See also conservation and restoration of paintings . Conservation science studies

6853-595: The subject of the study will be able to withstand more rigorous examination. Additionally, since the goal of conservation-restoration is to only do the minimum required for preservation, this initial assessment falls in line with the American Institute for Conservation (AIC) Code of Ethics which outlines best practice for conservators and scientists alike. Along with assessing the current state and potential risk of future deterioration of artworks and objects, scientific study may be necessary to determine if there

6942-417: The summer months. The recommended relative humidity for storage and display of wooden artifacts during the winter months is 35%–45% and 55%–65% during the summer months. Effective cleaning of wooden artifacts includes waxing, polishing, dusting, and buffing. For the maintenance of the wooden structure of the architectural heritage, fire-resistant coatings can be used to enhance the fire-resistant performance of

7031-403: The tools used to detect when levels fall outside of an acceptable range. Lightning strikes are the primary natural cause of damage to architectural heritage because ancient buildings generally use timber with high oil content, such as pine . Lightning strikes can cause the timber in the building to catch fire by the heat of the lightning arc. Lightning can also split wood and cause damage to

7120-440: The two inventions entered service as a consequence of scale-up difficulties. No significant improvements to the basic seawater distillation process were made during the 150 years from the mid-1600s until 1800. When the frigate Protector was sold to Denmark in the 1780s (as the ship Hussaren ) its still was studied and recorded in great detail. In the United States, Thomas Jefferson catalogued heat-based methods going back to

7209-554: The type of stone, geographical or physical location, and maintenance. Stone is subject to a number of decay mechanisms that include environmental , mechanical , and applied decay . Erosion from air, water, and physical touch can wear away surface texture. Carved stone should not be regularly cleaned as cleaning can cause deterioration by opening its pores as well as removing surface features such as engravings, artists' tools, and historical marks. Dirt, moss, and lichen do not usually cause decay to stone but may add to its patina . Wood

7298-739: The types of damages that do occur. Fire is caused by chemical reactions resulting in combustion . Organic material such as paper, textiles, and wood are especially susceptible to combustion. Inorganic material, while less susceptible, may still suffer damage if exposed to fire for any period of time. The materials used to extinguish fires, such as chemical retardants or water, can also result in further damage to material culture. Water primarily causes physical changes such as warping, stains, discoloration, and other weakening to both inorganic and organic materials. Water can come from natural sources such as flooding, mechanical/technological failures, or human error. Water damage to organic material may lead to

7387-483: The use of specialized equipment, visual inspections are often the first step in order to look for obvious signs of damage, decay, infilling , etc. Prior to any type of scientific analysis, detailed documentation of the initial state of the object and justification for all proposed examinations is required to avoid unnecessary or potentially damaging study and keep the amount of handling to a minimum. Processes such as stereomicroscopy can reveal surface features such as

7476-428: The water by 2000 m, or transport it over more than 1600 km to get transport costs equal to the desalination costs." Thus, it may be more economical to transport fresh water from somewhere else than to desalinate it. In places far from the sea, like New Delhi, or in high places, like Mexico City , transport costs could match desalination costs. Desalinated water is also expensive in places that are both somewhat far from

7565-425: The water vapor is condensed onto a cool surface. There are two types of solar desalination. The first type uses photovoltaic cells to convert solar energy to electrical energy to power desalination. The second type converts solar energy to heat, and is known as solar thermal powered desalination. Water can evaporate through several other physical effects besides solar irradiation . These effects have been included in

7654-513: The weave of parchment paper, whether a print was done in relief or in i ntaglio , and even what kind of tools an artist may have used to create their works. While there are many different specialized and generic tools used for conservation science studies, some of the most common are listed below. Source: The type of material present will be the deciding factor in what method will be appropriate for study. For example, organic materials are likely to be destroyed if exposed to too much radiation,

7743-636: Was created in the United States Department of the Interior in 1955 in accordance with the Saline Water Conversion Act of 1952. This act was motivated by a water shortage in California and inland western United States. The Department of the Interior allocated resources including research grants, expert personnel, patent data, and land for experiments to further advancements. The results of these efforts included

7832-590: Was installed at Suakin during the 1880s that provided freshwater to the British troops there. It consisted of six-effect distillers with a capacity of 350 tons/day. After World War II, many technologies were developed or improved such as Multi Effect Flash desalination (MEF) and Multi Stage Flash desalination (MSF). Another notable technology is freeze-thaw desalination. Freeze-thaw desalination, (cryo-desalination or FD), excludes dissolved minerals from saline water through crystallization. The Office of Saline Water

7921-508: Was using desalination to replenish the Sea of Galilee 's water supply. Not everyone is convinced that desalination is or will be economically viable or environmentally sustainable for the foreseeable future. Debbie Cook wrote in 2011 that desalination plants can be energy intensive and costly. Therefore, water-stressed regions might do better to focus on conservation or other water supply solutions than invest in desalination plants. Desalination

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