Mass deacidification

I am forwarding this query from Museum-L.  My apologies to those
conservators who subscribe to both lists.  A couple of informative
responses have already been sent by conservators on Museum-L, but I
thought that we (the greater conservation community) might be able
to provide additional information.

I will be happy to send responses verbatim from the ConsDist List to
Museum-L.

    From: Christine Mouw <christine.mouw<-a t->HOOVER< . >NARA< . >GOV>
    To:    MUSEUM-L<-a t->HOME< . >EASE< . >LSOFT< . >COM
    Date: 97 Mar 03

    I have an opportunity to send some of our works of art on paper
    to a company called Midwest Freeze Dry in Chicago for
    deacidification.  I know that the process is a gaseous
    deacidification process, that no alkaline material is left
    behind and it is done in a "tank".

    This is about all I know about the process, and I was wondering
    if anyone can fill me in on it and about the safety of placing
    works of art in such a chamber.  Is there any type of material
    that should absolutely *not* be included?

    Also, has anyone ever worked with this particular company?  I am
    told that it is run by at least one paper conservator.

    Thanks for any help anyone can give me.

    Christine Mouw
    Assistant Curator
    Herbert Hoover Presidential Library-Museum
    West Branch, Iowa  52358
    christine.mouw<-a t->hoover< . >nara< . >gov

Wendy Jessup

                                  ***
                  Conservation DistList Instance 10:78
                  Distributed: Thursday, March 6, 1997
                       Message Id: cdl-10-78-016
                                  ***