Dosimetry of paintings: Molecular changes in paintings as a tool to determine the impact of environment on works of art

In most public places of display of art, the environment is determined by indoor and outdoor factors. The chemical quality of the atmosphere is determined by outdoor contaminants such as ozone, nitrous oxides, and sulfur oxides which diffuse into the museum, and by indoor components from the outgassing of building materials, fumes from equipment and the art itself. Physical factors such as light intensity, temperature and relative humidity determine the museum microclimate and the rate at which reactions take place.