IAP 1998

SUMMARY OF THE DISCUSSION SESSIONS


GENERAL CONCLUSIONS

1. CONCENTRATION-DAMAGE SURVEY DATABASE

To understand the correlation between pollutant concentration and artefact damage a database is to be constructed to collate data on previous, and future, sampling experiments. It will contain information from 1) laboratory simulation experiments and 2) phenomenological research, e.g., interpreting data of field studies. The database will also include details about:

Initially, data obtained from previous sampling studies will be collated. Project participants include; Getty Conservation Institute (GCI), University of Strathlcyde (UoS), University of Oxford-Brookes (UoOB), University of East Anglia (UoEA), Netherlands Institute for Cultural Heritage (NICH), The National Museums of Scotland (NMS), The British Museum (BM), The Royal Ontario Museum (ROM), The Museum of London (MoL), the Victoria and Albert Museum (V&A), and the Canadian Conservation Institute (CCI).

Aspects to be considered:

DECISIONS AND ACTIONS

2. MATERIALS DATABASE

One of the questions most often asked by museums seeking advice is which materials are safe to use for the construction of storage and display facilities. Various institutes and museums have their own recommended lists of materials as well as their test results, however, there is no publically and easily accessible list. A database will be constructed and used to collate the information from a number of participating institutes including; the Building Research Establishment (BRE), BM, CCI, GCI, NICH, ROM, MoL, NMS and V&A. The proposed database, which will be accessible to all museums, will include post-1995 and future testing results for materials which have been deemed 'safe'for short-term and long-term use in proximity to artefacts.

Aspects to be considered:

DECISIONS AND ACTIONS

3. STANDARDISATION OF MUSEUM AIR SAMPLING METHODS FOR ORGANIC CARBONYL POLLUTANTS

Various sampling methods (passive and active), are currently used to assess museum atmospheres and/or environments. It is imperative that the data obtained from the different methods provide similar results if deployed in the same location. To achieve this objective the methods must be validated to ensure correct performance. This requires the development of 'Standard Operating Protocols' (SOPs). At present several researchers are involved in developing experiments (both in the laboratory and in the field) to assess the performance of commonly used low molecular weight organic acid and formaldehyde monitors. Participants include; UoS, UoEA, UoOB, GCI, NICH, BRE. The aim of the comparison is to ensure that, when applied properly, the results of the various methods are intercomparable. A museum can then choose to implement their preferred sampling method with confidence.

4. STANDARDISATION OF ENVIRONMENTAL CHAMBERS TO TEST STORAGE AND DISPLAY MATERIALS.

There is a need to test display and construction materials prior to their use in museums to ensure corrosive gases are not emitted from the materials which pose a risk to the preservation of objects. Many commercial building materials have been assessed, with respect to human health, on a national and international level, (for example see BSI, ISO and European. A similar approach with regard to materials damage would be invaluable to the conservation field to ensure the best museum environments for collections. Although simple qualitative tests do exist (for example the Oddy Test, the sodium azide test for reduced sulfides, the chromotropic acid test for formaldehyde etc.), the results may take as long as a few weeks to obtain, do not always provide quantitative, or pollutant specific, information. A middle ground approach is required; one that permits usage of simple, efficient and perhaps pseudo-quantitative tests that can be validated by intercomparative laboratory tests. Advice is being sought from the BRE, focusing particularly on the European Standards that exist for the determination of off-gassed formaldehyde from materials and products.

5. THRESHOLD LEVELS

While the correlation between pollutant concentration level and artefact damage is not well enough understood, at present, a realistic target for museums to aim for should be indoor levels that equal outdoor levels in clean (non-urban) environments.
The aim of defining threshold concentrations is not to issue such strict levels that even the most sensitive material will be safeguarded from pollutant damage, but to set reasonable levels that will benefit the majority of the more artefacts. Lower levels may be specified for extremely susceptible materials when research or experience shows that this is necessary. In this respect pollutant levels show similarities with guidelines for light levels.

Although the correlation between pollutant levels and artefact damage is not yet completely understood, experiences have shown that certain materials (metals and calcareous materials) are more sensitive to carbonyls than others. This allows us to take measures to protect these materials, for example, storing them separately in cleaner surroundings (metal cabinets) than the rest of the collection, and enables efficient inspection of collections.

6. MITIGATION

For the time being the study into mitigation methods and preventive conservation relies on individual research initiatives and publications. Research is currently being conducted by Dr. Mike Morris at UCC to obtain an efficient acetic acid scavenger.

7. FOLLOW UP

The conference participants have agreed to form a working group of conservators and scientists with shared interests. The aims of the group are to raise awareness for indoor pollution and advocate the ongoing research, to conduct evaluation of sampling techniques, to investigate the correlation between damage and pollutant concentration/dose and to provide solutions to avoid and reduce risk and damage to artefacts.

The Netherlands Institute for Cultural Heritage has offered to host the next meeting in Amsterdam : Detection and Mitigation of Organic Carbonyl Pollutants '99. It is currently planned to proceed the ICOM-CC triennial meeting in Lyon, France. Information will follow in due course.

horizontal ruler

Index of presentations at IAP 1998 meeting

[ Page up ]     [ IAP Group homepage ]     [ Main IAQ in Museums homepage ]     [ Search site ]

Webmaster

Indoor Air Quality in Museums and Archives
© April 25th, 2000

Valid HTML 3.2!