Analysis of the Surface of Historic Fabric from the Auschwitz-Birkenau State Museum after Treatment with Ethanol Mist Used to Eliminate Microorganisms Harmful to Human Health

AIM

the aim of the work was to present the changes occurring on the model and historical cotton surface of cotton resulting from disinfection with 90% ethanol mist.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Samples of historical materials consisted of fabric elements from suitcases stored in A-BSM. A mist of 90% ethanol was applied for 15 s at a distance of 16 cm from the surface. The spectra of cotton samples before and after ethanol application were recorded using Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR-ATR). Analyses of the surface layers were performed using X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS).

RESULTS

the decontamination performed did not show any significant differences in the chemical composition and surface structure of cotton before and after the use of 90% ethanol mist.

CONCLUSIONS

Ethanol mist, which eliminates microorganisms from the historical surface, does not cause significant changes to the surface of historical objects.

Quantitative Assessment of Hyperpigmentation Changes in Human Skin after Microneedle Mesotherapy Using the Gray-Level Co-Occurrence Matrix (GLCM) Method

AIM

The aim of the study was to quantitatively assess the effectiveness of microneedle mesotherapy in reducing skin discoloration. The results were analyzed using the gray-level co-occurrence matrix (GLCM) method.

MATERIAL AND METHODS

The skin of the forearm (7 × 7 cm) of 12 women aged 29 to 68 was examined. Microneedle mesotherapy was performed using a dermapen with a preparation containing 12% ascorbic acid. Each of the volunteers underwent a series of four microneedle mesotherapy treatments. The effectiveness of the treatment was quantified using the methods of image analysis and processing. A series of clinical images were taken in cross-polarized light before and after a series of cosmetic procedures. Then, the treated areas were analyzed by determining the parameters of the gray-level co-occurrence matrix (GLCM) algorithm: contrast and homogeneity.

RESULTS

During image pre-processing, the volunteers' clinical images were separated into red (R), green (G) and blue (B) channels. The photos taken after the procedure show an increase in skin brightness compared to the photos taken before the procedure. The average increase in skin brightness after the treatment was 10.6%, the average decrease in GLCM contrast was 10.7%, and the average homogeneity increased by 14.5%. Based on the analysis, the greatest differences in the GLCM contrast were observed during tests performed in the B channel of the RGB scale. With a decrease in GLCM contrast, an increase in postoperative homogeneity of 0.1 was noted, which is 14.5%.

Evaluation of the Reduction of Skin Hyperpigmentation Changes under the Influence of a Preparation Containing Kojic Acid Using Hyperspectral Imaging—Preliminary Study

Aim: The aim of this study was to demonstrate the effects of using a preparation containing kojic acid on skin hyperpigmentation using hyperspectral imaging, which enables a quantitative assessment of the effect of the preparation used on the reduction of skin discoloration. Materials and methods: Preliminary studies were carried out on 12 patients with post-acne skin. A hyperspectral camera with a spectral range of 400–1000 nm was used to image skin hyperpigmentation before and after the application of 3% kojic acid. Hyperspectral profiles were analyzed, and image analysis and processing methods were applied. Results: Studies performed using a hyperspectral camera have shown that kojic acid reduces skin discoloration by increasing skin brightness in 75% of patients tested, reducing skin contrast in approximately 83% and increasing skin homogeneity in approximately 67% of patients.

Optimization of the Process of Eliminating Microorganisms Harmful to Human Health and Threatening Objects Isolated from Historical Materials from the Auschwitz-Birkenau State Museum in Poland (A-BSM) Collection with the Use of Ethanol in the Form of Mist

The aim of the study was to assess the biocidal effectiveness and the effect of 80% and 90% ethanol applied in the form of mist on the surface of textile materials from historical A-BSM objects. The microorganisms used for the tests, namely, Cladosporium cladosporioides, Aspergillus niger and Penicillium chrysogenum, were isolated from the surface of textile objects in the A-BSM. Bacillus subtilis, Staphylococcus aureus, Aspergillus flavus and Aspergillus niger were also used from the American Type Culture Collection (ATCC). Fabric samples were inoculated with microorganisms at a concentration of 10⁵-10⁶ CFU/ml. Ethanol in the form of mist was applied in concentrations of 80% and 90%. Airbrushes VL 0819 and VE 0707 were used for this purpose, where the pressure was 0.2 MPa and the PA HEAD VLH-5 nozzle with a tip of 1.05 mm in diameter was used. In order to achieve more effective disinfection after applying the ethanol mist, samples were stored in PE foil in the conditions of 21 °C ± 1 °C for 22 ± 1 h. After applying the ethanol mist, changes in the properties of the materials were assessed using scanning electron microscopy (SEM). The reduction in the number of microorganisms on modern cotton fabric after the use of ethanol in the form of mist at concentrations of 80% and 90% ranged from 93.27% to 99.91% for fungi and from 94.96% to 100% for bacteria, except for 74.24% for B. subtillis. On the historical fabric, after the time of application of 90% ethanol was shortened to 4 s, the microorganisms were reduced by over 99.93% and S. aureus was completely eliminated. After applying the tested disinfection technique, no changes in fiber morphology were observed on the surface of the model and historical cotton.