EMPLOY OF MULTIVARIATE ANALYSIS AND CHEMOMETRICS IN CULTURAL HERITAGE AND ENVIRONMENT FIELDS A new approach for the modelling of chestnut wood photo-degradation monitored by different spectroscopic techniques G. Bonifazi 1 & L. Calienno 2 & G. Capobianco 1 & A. Lo Monaco 2 & C. Pelosi 3 & R. Picchio 2 & S. Serranti 1 Received: 20 July 2015 /Accepted: 4 January 2016 # Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg 2016 Abstract The aim of this work is to study the colour and chemical modifications of the surfaces in chestnut wood sam- ples as a consequence of irradiating in a controlled environ- ment. The changes were investigated by a new analytical ap- proach by combining traditional techniques such as reflec- tance spectrophotometry in the visible range and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy with new hyperspectral im- aging, in order to obtain forecast models to describe the phe- nomenon. The statistical elaboration of the experimental data allowed to validate the measurements and to obtain models enabling to relate the investigated parameters; the elaboration of the hyperspectral images by chemometric methods allowed for studying the changes in the reflectance spectra. A result of great importance is the possibility to correlate the oxidation of wood chemical components with the colour change in a totally non-invasive modality. This result is particularly relevant in the field of cultural heritage and in general in the control processes of wooden materials. Keywords Chestnut wood . Photo-degradation . Colour . FT-IR spectroscopy . Hyperspectral imaging . Chemometry Introduction The surface photo-degradation of wood is a crucial matter in cultural heritage conservation. The identification of non- invasive and simple methods to monitor and control the deg- radation phenomena should be performed having in mind a minimum intervention modality (Marengo et al. 2003; Marengo et al. 2004) and the respect of operators’ health and environment (Esposito Corcione and Frigione 2014). Wood is a material with excellent aesthetic, physical, and mechanical properties. It has been widely used since ancient times, both as a structural building component and as a mate- rial for veneers, plywood, panels, statues, furniture, floorings, frames, craft farming tools, and decorative object (Agresti, et al. 2010; Filková et al. 2015). Wood is a renewable and sustainable resource if originated from responsibly managed forest or plantation (Berti et al. 2009). However, wood is a heterogeneous material that changes its characteristics according to the botanical species, such as physical and mechanical properties and durability (Tsoumis 1991). So, the possible uses of wood can vary accordingly (Giordano 1988; Hough 2007). The wood of chestnut (Castanea sativa Mill.) has the heart- wood clearly distinguishable, with dark colour of various in- tensities and, sometimes, with much darker variegation. The chestnut wood has wide use in Europe (Bourgeois 1992). In central Italy, it has been used for frameworks, floorings, win- dows, external doors (Calienno et al. 2015; Militz et al 2003), and barrels (De Rosso et al. 2009). This wood is appreciated for its durability due to extractives: heartwood shows a pleas- ant colour and a natural durability against biotic and abiotic agents (Calienno et al. 2015; Militz et al. 2003). The increasing demand for wood of high natural durability is also due to growing ecological awareness and conscious- ness of the danger in using preservatives that could affect the Responsible editor: Philippe Garrigues * C. Pelosi pelosi@unitus.it 1 Department of Chemical Engineering Materials & Environment, Sapienza University, 00184 Rome, Italy 2 Department of Science and Technology for Agriculture, Forests, Nature and Energy, University of Tuscia, 01100 Viterbo, Italy 3 Department of Cultural Heritage Sciences, University of Tuscia, 01100 Viterbo, Italy Environ Sci Pollut Res DOI 10.1007/s11356-016-6047-0