The Research Team
The team has a long and recognized experience in using Er:YAG laser for the cleaning of historical surfaces and for the study of the effects that the laser energy may provoke. The team is made up of analytical chemistry researchers, science material researchers and restorers to ensure a perfect composition which allows to research in laser technology for Cultural Heritage.
▪ Principal Investigators
• Alessia Andreotti - Graduated Technician - UNIPI - Pisa
• Adele De Cruz - Conservation scientist, MonaLaser LLC and research Associate, American Museum of natural Hystory, Division of Paleontology, NY, USA
• Alessio Ceccarini - Associated Professor - UNIPI - Pisa
• Anna Brunetto - Conservator -Restorer - Restauri Brunetto - Vicenza
• Maria Perla Colombini - Full Professor - UNIPI - Pisa
▪ Collaborators
• Kyoko Nakahara - Conservator-Restorer, Florence, Italy
Research lines
- study of the effect of the pulsed laser beam on biological material to evaluate the long-term biocide activity of Er: YAG;
- evaluation of the effect of the pulsed laser beam on natural and synthetic resin materials;
- study of the thermal reactions induced by the Er:YAG laser on coated surfaces;
- characterization of degradation products emitted from the coated surfaces during laser cleaning and evaluation of safety.
- development and optimization of protocols for the removal of plaster and other unwanted materials by Er:YAG Laser technology.
MonaLaserLab strictly collaborates with the SciBeC research group and employs its instrumentations based on chromatography-mass spectrometry (EGA-MS , Py-GC-MS, GC-MS and HPLC-MS) and other available facilities, for the investigation of the materials to be removed, the detection of original constituents of the works of art, as well as for the study of any degradation product.
Laser Er:YAG Instrumentation
▪ Laser No. 1: Light Brush Laser (EL. EN. Laser)
▪ Laser No. 2: Erbium CrystaLase Laser Model
Recent scientific contribution
• A. Andreotti, M.P. Colombini, M.P., A. De Cruz, ‘Er:YAG laser cleaning of a marble Roman urn’, Journal of the Institute of Conservation, 2020, pp. 12-24, https://doi.org/10.1080/19455224.2019.1706593
• A. Brunetto, G. Bono, F. Frezzato, “Er:YAG laser cleaning of ‘San Marziale in Gloria’ by Jacopo Tintoretto in the Church of San Marziale, Venice”, Journal of the Institute of Conservation, 2020, 43(1), pp. 44–58, https://doi.org/10.1080/19455224.2019.1706596
• A. Andreotti, A. Ceccarini, M. P. Colombini, A. De Cruz, M. Norell, ‘A study in the temperature changes in the cleaning of fossil bones by Er:YAG (2940 nm)’, Journal of Paleontological Techniques, 2022, 24.
• A.Sutter, C. Di Marco, M. Spada, A. Trinchetti, M.Spampinato, A. Manariti, A. Andreotti, M. P. Colombini, “Combined used of Er:YAG and Nd:YAG lasers for the cleaning of marble sculpture from the portico of the Monumental Cemetery of Pisa” , 13th International Conference on Lasers in the Conservation of Artworks, LACONA XIII, Auditorium di Santa Apollonia, 12-16 Settembre 2022, Florence, Italy, oral presentation
• A. Andreotti, E.Cantisani, M.P. Colombini, A. De Cruz, D. Magrini, K. Nakahara, “Gradual cleaning of a seventeenth-century polychrome wood sculputure with Er:YAG laser” , 13th International Conference on Lasers in the Conservation of Artworks, LACONA XIII, Auditorium di Santa Apollonia, 12-16 Settembre 2022, Florence, Italy, poster.
• A. Andreotti, M.P. Colombini, A. De Cruz, G. Ranalli, K. Nakahara, “Er:YAG laser treatment for biodegradation on 20th-century cement based statues. A possible alternative for biocides?” , 13th International Conference on Lasers in the Conservation of Artworks, LACONA XIII, Auditorium di Santa Apollonia, 12-16 Settembre 2022, Florence, Italy, poster.
• F.M. Wiesner, M.R. Lanfranchi, A. Brunetto, C. Daffara, “Valutazione di differenti strumentazioni laser per la rimozione di scialbo da una stesura di blu di smalto del dipinto murale di San Rocco a Ponte Capriasca (Svizzera)”, Atti del convegno APLAR 7, Venezia, Palazzo Ducale 7-9 novembre 2019, 2022, pp 297-312.
• A. Brunetto, G. Bono, A. Basso, A. Longega, F. Frezzato, N. Gaburro, C. Daffara, “Applicazione laser Er:YAG su una superficie di grande dimensione. La pulitura di un’opera di Tintoretto”, Atti del convegno APLAR 7, Venezia, Palazzo Ducale 7-9 novembre 2019, 2022, pp 341-355.
• M.P. Colombini, A. Andreotti, A. De Cruz, “Dal passato al futuro: pulitura di dipinti con il laser a Er:YAG”, Atti del convegno APLAR 7, Venezia, Palazzo Ducale 7-9 novembre 2019, 2022, pp 61-68.