[Studies on microbial factor on color change of Dunhuang mural. III. Effect of Cladosporium sp. on color-change of red lead in the surface of mural].

The conditions isolated Cladosporium sp. from Mural of Dunhuang grottoe germinated on the surface of imitated mural were as follows: 20 degrees C RH 60% or 30 degrees C RH 50%, which could be reached occasionally in some grottoes. Bone glue had protective function on red lead, while Cladosporium sp. could decompose bone glue and form some metabolite (such as oxalic acid, etc) as it grows. Then it could form a special chemical circumstance, which promoted the change from red lead to while lead.