San Fernando Batteries in Portobelo - Panama: building materials characterization and the environmental impact evaluation

Preliminary findings from mineralogical and petrographic analyses reveal critical insights into the degradation of construction materials at the San Fernando Batteries, a 17th–18th century Spanish fortress on Panama's Caribbean coast. Using Polarized Light Microscopy (PLM), Environmental Scanning Electron Microscopy (ESEM-EDX), and X-Ray Diffraction (XRD), researchers identified environmental impacts on the site’s conservation. The study, part of a collaboration between ISAC-CNR, the Patronato de Portobelo y San Lorenzo, and the University of Ferrara, aims to safeguard this UNESCO-listed heritage by understanding how materials like stone and mortar deteriorate due to climate and pollution. These methods provide a foundation for targeted preservation strategies.

Ciantelli, C., Bonazza, A., Sabbioni, C., Suñé Martínez, R. A., & Vaccaro, C. (2015). San Fernando Batteries in Portobelo - Panama: building materials characterization and the environmental impact evaluation. MODERN AGE FORTIFICATIONS of the MEDITERRANEAN COAST - DEFENSIVE ARCHITECTURE OF THE MEDITERRANEAN (FORTMED2015). https://doi.org/10.4995/fortmed2015.2015.1754