Biosensors meet Cultural Heritage Field: The Future meet The Past

Dear Colleagues,

Optical/electrochemical sensors can be used in conservation science as an analytical approach in the diagnostic procedures of artworks, to understand the composition of artworks and, eventually, the products due to chemical alterations and/or degradation. At the same time, they can be applied as restorative/conservation methods in order to preserve the original state of artworks. A multidisciplinary team (i.e., art historians, archaeologists, curators, conservators, analytical scientists, and other specialists at a basic research level) should be involved in this approach. Electrochemical/optical methods can also be used for the monitoring of the composition of the environment surrounding monuments or objects preserved in museums, or stores, due to great advantages in terms of effectiveness, costs, sensitivity, and ease of usage. Great improvements in the sensor technology and applicability have been obtained in recent years. However, the use of sensors, in particular bioreceptors (in this case obtaining biosensors) in cultural heritage fields, is poorly emphasized, even if many of these biosensors are suitable for characterizing several important materials used in cultural heritage such as paper, paintings, textiles, metals, or glass. These analytical tools are potentially important for developing portable and non-invasive diagnostic methods for monitoring the health state of artefacts.

The aim of this Special Issue is to explore and explain the numerous opportunities and advantages of using biosensors in the cultural heritage field.

Prof. Laura Micheli
Dr. Claudia Mazzuca
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Biosensors is an international peer-reviewed open access monthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2700 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.