# Analysis and prevention of microbial degradation of shadow puppetry artifacts preserved in the National Shadow Puppetry Museum in Chengdu

## TL;DR

This study identifies microbes damaging shadow puppet artifacts in a museum and tests antimicrobial agents to prevent degradation.

## Contribution

The study identifies key collagen-degrading microbes on shadow puppets and evaluates antimicrobial agents for their conservation.

## Key findings

- A diverse range of microorganisms, including Aspergillus, Pseudomonas, and Streptomyces, were found on shadow puppet surfaces.
- Four predominant microbial strains were identified, all capable of degrading collagen.
- Antimicrobial agents BC01 and carvacrol showed effectiveness against the main microbial strains.

## Abstract

Shadow puppetry, an integral and crucial component of China’s intangible cultural heritage, currently faces the significant threat of microbial degradation. This is primarily due to the organic materials used in its artifacts. This study centers on the shadow puppets housed in the National Shadow Puppetry Museum in Chengdu. By employing Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) and high-throughput sequencing techniques, it has revealed a diverse array of co-existing microorganisms on the surfaces of these puppets. These include species from genera such as Aspergillus, Streptomyces, Nocardiopsis, Pseudomonas, and Saccharopolyspora, among others. Eleven microbial species were successfully isolated, wherein four were identified as predominant: Pseudomonas sp. WH. S-B1, Streptomyces sp. WH. S-B2, Nocardiopsis sp. WH. S-B6, and Aspergillus fumigatus WH. S-F2. Notably, these four strains demonstrated the ability to degrade collagen. The antimicrobial experiment results indicated that 0.3% isothiazolinone-based antimicrobial agents BC01 and 50 mg/mL carvacrol exhibited a certain degree of antimicrobial activity against these predominant strains. Overall, this research provides a robust foundation for the conservation of shadow puppet artifacts. It does so by thoroughly analyzing the mechanisms of microbial degradation and screening effective antimicrobial agents.