Email digest for the Global Conservation Forum (ConsDistList) egroup. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
1. Large scale testing for poisenous heavy metals in library collections ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 1.From: Foekje Boersma Posted: Sunday August 3, 2025 11:01 AM Subject: Large scale testing for poisenous heavy metals in library collections Message: In 2027, the KB National Library of the Netherlands will start moving its entire library collection to a newly constructed super high denisity automated storage facility. As with all library collections, books in our collections may contain hazardous heavy metals such as arsenic, lead, mercury and chromium. At present we have only been testing for arsenic using a spot test (Arsenic Test Strips, colorimetric 0.02-3 mg/L (As), MQuant<SUP>®</SUP> | Sigma-Aldrich <https://eur06.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.sigmaaldrich.com%2FNL%2Fen%2Fproduct%2Fmm%2F117917%3Futm_source%3Dgoogle%26utm_medium%3Dcpc%26utm_campaign%3D21684405540%26utm_content%3D172562433292%26gad_source%3D1%26gad_campaignid%3D21684405540%26gclid%3DCjwKCAjwprjDBhBTEiwA1m1d0j1APk3804UF8oQobRbKe8XrFSAr3boBwC56atpnMlCYRulT-81IcRoCUKkQAvD_BwE&data=05%7C02%7Cfoekje.boersma%40kb.nl%7C33280dae66b44375f58808ddd0f2b25f%7C01ef09a2c6084fc7af66836e50ddde2c%7C0%7C0%7C638896462997683390%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJFbXB0eU1hcGkiOnRydWUsIlYiOiIwLjAuMDAwMCIsIlAiOiJXaW4zMiIsIkFOIjoiTWFpbCIsIldUIjoyfQ%3D%3D%7C0%7C%7C%7C&sdata=aVJRYyHTBE3UUYPPfAZF8msfEqKIj3RstcCqL7maCro%3D&reserved=0>). We do not have a hand held XRF (yet). Our current testing process is time-consuming and not comprehensive. We have therefore launched a market consultation via the Dutch government's online tendering system Tendernet (Marktconsultatie gevaarlijke stoffen in KB collecties <https://eur06.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.tenderned.nl%2Faankondigingen%2Foverzicht%2F387956&data=05%7C02%7Cfoekje.boersma%40kb.nl%7C33280dae66b44375f58808ddd0f2b25f%7C01ef09a2c6084fc7af66836e50ddde2c%7C0%7C0%7C638896462997703661%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJFbXB0eU1hcGkiOnRydWUsIlYiOiIwLjAuMDAwMCIsIlAiOiJXaW4zMiIsIkFOIjoiTWFpbCIsIldUIjoyfQ%3D%3D%7C0%7C%7C%7C&sdata=2sMsusi3NMVi51yOo%2Fnmu3nZ99vR8X9GV61DIUPZ%2BSY%3D&reserved=0>, in Dutch). We are looking for a method that we can use on a larger scale and more efficiently. Ideally we would like to screen about 650.000 items within the next 2 years, prior to the move. This is not yet a tender, but a request for information from companies that can hopefully help with this challenge. Do you know of a European company that has experience in this type of project? Could you please forward their name and contact details? Thanks very much! Foekje ------------------------------ Foekje Boersma Head of Collection Care KB, National Library of the Netherlands ------------------------------ You are subscribed to "Global Conservation Forum (ConsDistList)" as [email protected]. To change your subscriptions, go to http://community.culturalheritage.org/preferences?section=Subscriptions. To unsubscribe from this community discussion, go to https://community.culturalheritage.org/HigherLogic/eGroups/Unsubscribe.aspx?UserKey=d16eaa87-0f69-494b-9f2f-303dbc1222e1&sKey=fab9aa4f27a04c5d876e&GroupKey=757a8f16-505f-4323-8e74-e376757aa9f7.
