Special issue of Pure and Applied Chemistry devoted to “Chemistry and Cultural Heritage”

The conservation of works of art makes them accessible, and will ensure the transfer of cultural heritage to future generations, Fig. 1. For long term preservation, the development of effective and sustainable conservation materials is of fundamental importance. Although in the past traditional approaches in restoration have used highly effective natural materials for cleaning, modern research has focused on the systematic design of materials and methodologies. For instance, during the nineteenth century conservators reported the use of materials such as vinegar, wine, lemon juice, and today saliva is still used in cleaning applications. Although it is now recognized that these materials contain components that are effective cleaning agents, until recently there has been a lack of systematic studies regarding the control of their structure and reactivity.