Why statues made of marble are deteriorating

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Information about your use of this website will be shared with Google and other third parties. Read our privacy policy. Scientists in Italy have made a new oxamate salt that could help shield monuments from weathering. However, in regions of polluted air, this begins to lose meaning. Sulfur and nitrogen oxides produce acid rain, which dissolves calcite in limestone and marble monuments, and leads to their degradation.

When moving marble table tops, carry them vertically, not flat, as they can crack or split very easily. Never clean ancient, rare or precious marble pieces or marble that has a deteriorating surface. Always ask for professional advice and be aware that attempts to move stains from porous stone may force the stain deeper or erode the surface. Indoors, do not allow marble to become very dirty but never use dusters, particularly coloured ones, as they tend to rub the dust into the surface and may smear greasy dirt.

Feather dusters are also best avoided as any broken ends can scratch the surface. It is best not to wash marble but if it is very dirty and in sound condition you can clean it by wiping the surface with swabs of cotton wool dampened with a mixture made up of half a pint ml white spirit, half a pint distilled or deionised water and one teaspoon of a non-ionic detergent.

The mixture can be kept in a screw-top jar not metal and used when necessary having shaken the mixture well before use. Wipe the damp swabs in one direction only and do not rub the surface. The swabs should not be so wet as to allow the fluid to run. Clean a small area at a time and rinse as you go by wiping with clean swabs of cotton wool dampened with distilled or de-ionised water.

Use dampened cotton buds on small objects or intricate carvings, again discarding them as soon as they become dirty. A specialist poultice is used in marble workshops to draw stains out so any badly marked marble is best left to the professional. Marble fireplaces are usually waxed to seal and protect them against dirt but the wax will wear away over time.

They can be dusted using the brush attachment of a vacuum cleaner but be very careful not to knock the marble which will scratch it. After cleaning a marble fireplace, as described above, it can be re-sealed with a very little microcrystalline wax and this allows it to be occasionally wiped with a damp cloth.

However waxing will accentuate any existing stains so if stains remain after cleaning it is best to leave the fireplace unwaxed. Research by USGS scientists and other groups began to show that the processes resulting in acid rain are very Soil acidification from acid rain that is harmful to plant and aquatic life has now begun to reverse in forests of the northeastern United States and eastern Canada, according to an American-Canadian collaboration of five institutions led by the U.

Geological Survey. A recent international scientific study on Russian soils raises concerns that acid rain may have serious implications for forest growth in the U. Marble is a famous metamorphic rock known for its use in sculpture and architecture. This particular marble came from the Campbell Quarry in Texas, Maryland. Constructed of marble, the building took 5 years to complete. Constructed of marble, the building took 11 years to complete. Skip to main content. Search Search.

Apply Filter. Can lakes near volcanoes become acidic enough to be dangerous to people and animals? Crater lakes atop volcanoes are typically the most acid, with pH values as low as 0. Normal lake waters, in contrast, have relatively neutral pH values near 7. The crater lake at El Chichon volcano in Mexico had a pH of 0. The acid waters of these lakes Why is our porcelain sink stained brown?

The brown stain is from a large amount of iron in your water. It is closely related to simple rust that you see on metal, which is iron oxide. Your water probably comes from groundwater that filtered through rocks containing iron-rich minerals on its way to the well. Why does my drinking water look cloudy sometimes?

Once in a while you get a glass of water that looks cloudy; maybe milky is a better term. What Chemicals Rust Metal Rapidly? The Effects of Oxidation on Copper. Negative Effects of Acid Rain. Why Is Rain Naturally Acidic? PH Level of Rain Water. How to Dissolve Silicate.

What is an Arrhenius Acid? The Properties of Acidic Substances. What Are the Two Types of Weathering? How to Rust a Penny.