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Toxic Effect of Myristica Fragrans Essential Oil J.Bio.Innov 8(5), pp: 554-571, 2019 |ISSN 2277-8330 (Electronic) Faheem et al., TOXIC EFFECT OF MYRISTICA FRAGRANS ESSENTIAL OIL AGAINST THE MUSEUM PEST ANTHRENUS VERBASCI (COLEOPTERA: DERMESTIDAE) TO CONTROL BIODETERIORATION OF ANIMAL COLLECTIONS Fatma Faheem* & Abduraheem K Department of Museology, Aligarh Muslim University, Aligarh 202002, UP-India; (Received on Date: 31 July 2019 Date of Acceptance: 1 September 2019) ABSTRACT Museums are custodians of natural and cultural heritage. Objects like tribal dresses, headgears, weapons, musical instruments and other ethno-cultural materials housed in museums are prized possession of intellectual and cultural property of people. Tropical countries like India have a favorable climatic condition for the biological agents of biodeterioration. Organic materials such as leather and parchment objects form substantial part of collections in museums across the world which are promptly infested by insects like dermestid beetles, tenebrionides, silver fishes, cockroaches and other micro-organisms. From the last two to three decades the environmental problems are increases due to the over use of pesticides or other non-decomposing chemicals as well as products. Synthetic products and pesticides are very expensive and also highly toxic for humans and its environment. In order to overcome the above problems, there is urgent need to develop safe, convenient, environmentally friendly and low-cost alternatives. The aim of present study is to evaluate toxicity of nutmeg oil through contact and stomach mechanism against the larvae of Anthrenus verbasci under laboratory conditions (25±29 ºC and 60±68% RH). The mortality data thus obtained in both cases of mechanisms were first subjected to profit analysis using SPSS software and then later the transformed data were used for drawing regression lines graphs between probit mortality and concentration to determine LC 90 values in each cases of test. In contact case LC 90 value is 19.11% whereas in stomach case LC 90 value is obtained at 16.63%. Keywords: Biodeterioration; Contact Toxicity; Cultural Heritage; Dermestid beetles; Natural Heritage; Stomach Toxicity. No: of Tables: 03 No: of Figures: 08 No: of References:78 2019 September Edition |www.jbino.com | Innovative Association J.Bio.Innov 8(5), pp: 554-571, 2019 |ISSN 2277-8330 (Electronic) Faheem et al., 1.INTRODUCTION nature [4, 5]. Tropical countries like India, Pakistan and Bangladesh have much The environmental problems caused due favorable climatic condition for the to the overuse of pesticides and other non- biological agent, which causes decomposing chemicals as well as biodeterioration [6, 7]. products have been the matter of serious concern for both the scientists and public It has been observed that the rich in recent years. Although, pesticides were wealth of manuscripts in many countries used initially to benefit the human life for faces great threat due to the various increasing the agricultural productivity by causes of deterioration, particularly by the controlling infectious disease, their adverse biodeterioration. Biodeterioration is defined effects have overweighed the benefits as the damage caused by living organisms associated with their use. So this is the time such as insects, fungi or algae which that necessitates the proper use of endangers the cultural property of all pesticides to protect human beings and around the world. The damage results their environment [1]. To overcome the show “enormous economic loss” and above problems natural products are an irreversible cultural and artistic loss of excellent alternative to synthetic information of the objects which are pesticides, as a mean to reduce negative affected. [8] impacts to human health and environment Biodeterioration of cultural property [2, 3]. is a major problem in almost all the parts of Museum objects encompass world, likewise art works and artifacts are valuable natural history collections constantly being destroyed by biological belonging to various fields such as botany, agents. Since organic materials, which are zoology, entomology, paleontology, most vulnerable to biological attack, are mineralogy, archeology, ethnography, used for many traditional objects, and anthropology and archives. These valuable since the high heat and humidity in items of museums are prized possessions of tropical countries are weaken the organic intellectual and cultural property. There are materials and foster the growth and various environmental factors such as light, reproduction of biodeteriogens. Museum humidity, atmospheric pollutants, dust of India faces critical problems in particles, temperature, hazardous gaseous protecting its natural history collections and biological agents causing damage from biodeterioration. This chapter will and decay of organic objects present in discuss the major biodeteriogens, the museums, libraries, archives and similar negative effects of environmental institutions. The agents which responsible conditions on human health, and the for biodeterioration are insects, fungus, threats of biodeterioration to the skin and bacteria, lichens, algae, birds, rodents and skin products most commonly found in the even human being also. Among all, insect museum collections. The information is is the most notorious and destructive in summarized briefly with an emphasis on 2019 September Edition |www.jbino.com | Innovative Association J.Bio.Innov 8(5), pp: 554-571, 2019 |ISSN 2277-8330 (Electronic) Faheem et al., biodeterioration of skins and hides artifacts. objects, books, journals, papers, dried Many research projects have been carried animal materials etc. These objects entirely out on biodeterioration of organic objects form the significant parts of collection in in museums, archives and libraries [9-16]. museum, libraries and archives. Such types During the course of those studies, it was of important materials are regularly revealed that entomological collections in infested by the insects like termites, different museums were found to have dermestid beetles, silver fishes, undergone various degrees of decay and tenebrionides, cockroaches and many damage by Dermestes [5]. The extent of other micro-organisms also [22-25]. Insect losses in museum collections due to insect pests which feed animal products are pests and their control are inadequately having unique ability to digest and utilize researched [18]. So it is a prime concern keratin, a chemically stable structural to emphasize the research in this direction, protein present in wool, feather, hair and to prevent the important products from horn [26]. Unlike insects feed on food such harmful biological deterioration either grains, the pests infested on animal by indigenous or non-indigenous methods. products are known to have higher proteinase and aminopeptidase enzyme Most literature survey has indicated activities [27]. Some of the insect pests of that, the research which carried on preserved animal products diapauses bionomics and control action of these periods, they are more tolerant for biodeterioration. It is mainly caused by the extreme climatic conditions and pesticide insects belonging to Dermestidae family, treatment [28]. there important species are Anthrenus, Attagenus, Dermestes, Trogoderma, In order to overcome the problems Necrobia and Psocids [17-19]. Species like of biodeterioration, natural biocides should Anthrenus and Attagenus have been be used. The use of pesticides and noted to breed in bird’s nests and animal synthetic products in museums and libraries burrows in the vicinity of museums, and are not only expensive but also highly then which moves from their breeding sites toxic, which results to show very harmful to museum collections of animal objects, effects on human beings and entire resulting causes severe infestation [20]. In environment that causes the disturbance addition to these above, beetle pests of in ecosystem. Due to the high health risk Tenebrionidae, Anobiidae and Ptinidae factor government has taken some severe are also occasionally observed which initiatives on policy of banning it. On the deteriorated many important animal basis of above drawbacks; nowadays the products [21]. Mostly these insects are indigenous method of control is highly scavengers, they inhabited the nests of emphasized [29-35]. birds and mammals and feed on organic One of the potential sources for materials like feathers, wools, furs, producing natural biocides is the parchment membranes, valuable leather substances produced by plants. The 2019 September Edition |www.jbino.com | Innovative Association J.Bio.Innov 8(5), pp: 554-571, 2019 |ISSN 2277-8330 (Electronic) Faheem et al., essential oils extracted from plants are effective substances which are tested usually decomposed very easily in the against many insects [52]. And it is defined environment, so they have lower toxicity as a concentrated hydrophobic liquid from for humans and other mammals which plants having a volatile aroma known as show lower harmful effects on the essential oil. These are ethereal oils also environment [36]. Even Xie et al, 1995 [37] known as “oil of” the plant from which it is reported, that plants are a rich source of isolated like oil of rosemary. The oil is called insecticidal compounds and the as essential because it possesses a effectiveness of these compounds has distinctive smell of the plant [53]. These are easily been demonstrated against many usually known as “life force” of plants. It is stored product insects. Scientists in different
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