This is a message from the Museumpests List. To post to this list send it as an email to [email protected] To unsubscribe please look at the footer of this email. ----------------------------------------------------------- So many solutions... Suzanne Hargrove's note moves me to make some comments on anoxia. Her posting highlights the weak spot of all anoxic treatment method: creating an effective envelope for the treatment. This is worth expanding on for those of you who have not already used anoxia for pest control.
The idea behind anoxia is simple: place your infested object(s) in a sealed enclosure, remove the oxygen, and the insects (all life stages) will die. However, you must maintain extremely low levels (and moderate to warm temperatures) for the process to work effectively. Whether the envelope is made of flexible barrier film (Marvelseal, Escal, no-name foil film, Aclar, EVOH, etc.), or is a rigid enclosure, the only important variable is how "leaky" is it?. It's not hard to remove most of the oxygen, but an interesting problem becomes apparent when you approach really low levels. Here's the problem: The pressure of oxygen in the air (~21%) will "drive" oxygen into an enclosure being kept at less than 0.5% (the commonly accepted magic number for anoxic treatment). Pressure will force oxygen through pinholes, permeate plexiglass plates (acrylic), and wiggle through seams. If you have a well sealed enclosure, it's relatively easy to remove oxygen right down to effective levels by displacing with a gas (Nitrogen, Argon), or using one of many available oxygen absorbers (eg Ageless and other brands or types). Keeping it at these levels is the trick. Various methods of achieving and maintaining anoxic conditions have their champions (and suppliers), and while some methods are slightly superior or more cost effective for for particular applications, the basic process (from the insect's point of view) is the same. As Keepsafe Microclimate Systems, I have supplied oxygen absorbers, barrier film, made-to-order envelopes, nitrogen generators, humidity stabilizers and advice for some time now - suggesting different solutions for different applications. I'm now working with Colin Smith (who is based in the UK) and will soon be offering his Flexicube ready-made barrier film bags and other aspects of his ZerO2 system in North America. As for anoxia vs freezing (or heating)- I'm for whatever works. Finding a method of killing the insects is relatively easy. Protecting the objects is usually the greater challenge. js Jerry Shiner Keepsafe Microclimate Systems www.keepsafe.ca [email protected] +1 416 703 4696 +1 800 683 4696 > This is a message from the Museumpests List. > To post to this list send it as an email to [email protected] > To unsubscribe please look at the footer of this email. > ----------------------------------------------------------- > This is a message from the Museumpests List. > To post to this list send it as an email to [email protected] > To unsubscribe please look at the footer of this email. > ----------------------------------------------------------- > Hi Emily: > > We recently tried to do an anoxic atmosphere by making our own > Marvelseal bag for a brush pile an artist was using for an installation. > > > We had trouble keeping the bag from getting holes in it and achieving a > good seal. The ZerO2 system looks fairly easy to use. I'd be curious > to see who has used it in the us. > > For our project, we wound up purchasing a freezer for about $700. It > was much easier in the long run. We bought a fairly large one ca 7 feet > across ca. 3 feet deep and 3 feet high. We got it from a discount > appliance center in town-they delivered it. By far this was the easiest > way we found for treating the art and was relatively cheap compared to > the purchase of all the materials to do the anoxic atmosphere. Plus we > have the freezer for future fumigation, cold storage, or emergency > freezing should we have a leak/water emergency. It can always be turned > off and left hinged open when not needed to save energy. It may seem > like overkill, but at the very low temps, we froze some hxtal and it > lasted for weeks! > > Sincerely, > > Suzanne > > Suzanne Hargrove > Head of Conservation > Toledo Museum of Art > 2445 Monroe St. > Toledo, OH 43620 > tel. 419-254-5771 X7460 > fax. 419-254-5773 > [email protected] > >>>> "Kaplan, Emily" <[email protected]> 1/26/2012 4:19 PM >>> > > Hi all, > Our registrar (copied here) is looking for a facility * museum or > commercial - with a freezer we could rent or borrow in the Toronto > area. We have a shipment of incoming material that has been found to be > infested and we would like to treat it before it crosses the border to > the US. > > We would be grateful for any suggestions and can provide more details. > > > You can reply to the list, to me or to > Rajshree Solanki NMAI Loan Registrar [email protected] > > Thanks everyone, > Emily > > > Emily Kaplan > Conservator > National Museum of the American Indian > Cultural Resources Center > 4220 Silver Hill Rd Suitland MD 20746 > 301.238.1418 fax 301.238.3201 > [email protected] > > > ---------------------------------------------------------------------- > To send an email to the list, send your msg to > [email protected] > > To unsubscribe from this list send an email to [email protected] > and in the subject put: > "unsubscribe" - no quotes please. > > You are receiving the Pestlist emails in standard mode. > To change to the DIGEST mode send an > email to [email protected] with this command in the body: > > set mode digest pestlist > > Any problems email [email protected] or [email protected] > > This message is a private communication. 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Thank you. > > > > ---------------------------------------------------------------------- > To send an email to the list, send your msg to [email protected] > > To unsubscribe from this list send an email to [email protected] > and in the subject put: > "unsubscribe" - no quotes please. > > You are receiving the Pestlist emails in standard mode. > To change to the DIGEST mode send an > email to [email protected] with this command in the body: > > set mode digest pestlist > > Any problems email [email protected] or [email protected] > ---------------------------------------------------------------------- To send an email to the list, send your msg to [email protected] To unsubscribe from this list send an email to [email protected] and in the subject put: "unsubscribe" - no quotes please. You are receiving the Pestlist emails in standard mode. To change to the DIGEST mode send an email to [email protected] with this command in the body: set mode digest pestlist Any problems email [email protected] or [email protected]
