Bio-Based Surfactants in Heritage Conservation: Performance, Challenges and Future Directions

Area of Science:

• Conservation Science
• Green Chemistry

Background:

• The cultural heritage sector is actively seeking sustainable, environmentally friendly cleaning agents to replace traditional petroleum-based surfactants.
• Bio-based surfactants are emerging as viable alternatives, with a focus on alkyl polyglucosides, rhamnolipids, and mannosylerythritol lipids.

Purpose of the Study:

• To review the performance and challenges of using bio-based surfactants in cultural heritage preservation.
• To identify knowledge gaps and propose future research directions for the adoption of sustainable surfactants in conservation.

Main Methods:

• Literature review of studies on bio-based surfactants (alkyl polyglucosides, rhamnolipids, mannosylerythritol lipids) in heritage cleaning.
• Analysis of performance data across various substrates and identification of limitations.

Main Results:

• Bio-based surfactants show variable but promising results; alkyl polyglucosides are effective on calcareous stones, and rhamnolipids on organic materials under specific pH.
• Challenges include inconsistent methodologies, substrate-specific needs, and residue concerns in porous materials.

Conclusions:

• A selective, application-based approach is recommended over wholesale replacement of conventional surfactants.
• Future research should prioritize standardized testing, long-term material compatibility studies, and adapted quality control frameworks for heritage applications.