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Nature-Based Solution for Reducing CO 2 Levels in Museum Environments: A Phytoremediation Study for the Leonardo da Vinci’s “Last Supper”

Author

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  • Elisabetta Salvatori

    (Department of Environmental Biology, Sapienza University of Rome, P.le Aldo Moro, 5–00185 Rome, Italy
    ENEA, Italian National Agency for New Technologies, Energy and Sustainable Economic Development, R.C. Casaccia, Via Anguillarese, 301–00123 S.Maria di Galeria, Rome, Italy)

  • Chiara Gentile

    (Department of Environmental Biology, Sapienza University of Rome, P.le Aldo Moro, 5–00185 Rome, Italy)

  • Antonella Altieri

    (Italian Higher Institute for Conservation and Restoration (ISCR), Laboratory of Biology, via di San Michele, 25–00153 Rome, Italy)

  • Fabio Aramini

    (Italian Higher Institute for Conservation and Restoration (ISCR), Laboratory of Physics, via di San Michele, 25–00153 Rome, Italy)

  • Fausto Manes

    (Department of Environmental Biology, Sapienza University of Rome, P.le Aldo Moro, 5–00185 Rome, Italy)

Abstract

This work investigates the possibility of implementing a nature-based solution (NBS) based on the photosynthetic process of Laurus nobilis L. (common laurel), for reducing peak CO 2 concentrations in an air-tight museum environment, namely the Refectory of the Santa Maria delle Grazie Church (Milan, Italy), home of Leonardo da Vinci’s painting “Last Supper”. The phytoremediation potential of laurel plants was evaluated at CO 2 ≅ 1000 ppm under controlled environmental conditions. Furthermore, light-saturated net assimilation (Pn max ) was measured at two CO 2 concentrations (380 and 1000 ppm) during the growing season. Steady-state gas exchanges were not affected by elevated CO 2 in the short-term, while Pn max was significantly increased, also showing higher values in spring and autumn, and a reduction during summer. Our estimated CO 2 removal rates indicate that, in order to control visitors’ respiratory CO 2 emissions in view of an increase in visitor numbers in the Refectory, a possible NBS in the form of an external greenhouse, connected to the HVAC system of the museum, should allocate from 58 to 112 young laurel plants, depending on their seasonal phytoremediation capacity. These results, although preliminary, allow to hypothesize the possibility of controlling CO 2 indoors through a combination of traditional air-cleaning systems and a properly designed NBS, thus increasing the sustainability of air-tight museum environments.

Suggested Citation

  • Elisabetta Salvatori & Chiara Gentile & Antonella Altieri & Fabio Aramini & Fausto Manes, 2020. "Nature-Based Solution for Reducing CO 2 Levels in Museum Environments: A Phytoremediation Study for the Leonardo da Vinci’s “Last Supper”," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(2), pages 1-16, January.
  • Handle: RePEc:gam:jsusta:v:12:y:2020:i:2:p:565-:d:307801
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Karolina M. Zielinska-Dabkowska & Julia Hartmann & Carla Sigillo, 2019. "LED Light Sources and Their Complex Set-Up for Visually and Biologically Effective Illumination for Ornamental Indoor Plants," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 11(9), pages 1-32, May.
    2. Angus Shiue & Shih-Cheng Hu & Shu-Mei Chang & Tzu-Yu Ko & Arson Hsieh & Andrew Chan, 2017. "Adsorption Kinetics and Breakthrough of Carbon Dioxide for the Chemical Modified Activated Carbon Filter Used in the Building," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 9(9), pages 1-13, August.
    3. Shih-Cheng Hu & Angus Shiue & Shu-Mei Chang & Ya-Ting Chang & Chao-Heng Tseng & Chuang-Cheng Mao & Arson Hsieh & Andrew Chan, 2017. "Removal of carbon dioxide in the indoor environment with sorption-type air filters," International Journal of Low-Carbon Technologies, Oxford University Press, vol. 12(3), pages 330-334.
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    1. Gonçalo Marques & Jagriti Saini & Maitreyee Dutta & Pradeep Kumar Singh & Wei-Chiang Hong, 2020. "Indoor Air Quality Monitoring Systems for Enhanced Living Environments: A Review toward Sustainable Smart Cities," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(10), pages 1-21, May.

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