Formaldehyde-free fiberboard

In response to Karen Potje's question regarding formaldehyde-free
fiberboard:

While there are manufacturer's of such products, one must be careful
because the board is still a wood product.  Wood products release
organic acids, in particular acetic acid and formic acid.  Organic
acids are potentially more damaging than their corresponding
aldehydes, formaldehyde and acetaldehyde.  The Getty Conservation
Institute (GCI) has tested display cases constructed of
formaldehyde-free particle board and while no formaldehyde was
detected, high levels of acetic acid were detected.  Also,
colleagues in Scotland have found similar results.

Karen's question raises a very important point.  While we seek to
identify the compounds which are potentially damaging to collections
and eliminate them from micro-environments, we also must be aware of
the fact, that there are many components in the atmosphere.  Some
gaseous and particle pollutants are damaging, and some are not.  In
some instances there may be synergistic effects between pollutants.

Thus, the question becomes is the environment corrosive, not is
there a specific compound.  This is one advantage of the "Oddy Test"
for corrosive gases developed by Mr. Oddy of the British Museum and
recently standardized by British Museum scientists to provide
comparable results between different laboratories.  Coupons metals
representative of the artifacts' composition, such as lead, copper
or silver, are placed in a jar with a sample of the proposed
material over wet cotton, sealed and placed in an oven for 28 days.
The metal coupons are compared to controls coupons.  Reference:
British Museum Occasional Paper number 111 by Lorna Green and David
Thickett.

The GCI recommends the testing of all materials to be used in the
proximity of susceptible artifacts.  In fact, every material used in
the new Getty Center Museum was tested by the GCI Museum Research
Laboratory.

If inferior materials must be used, mitigation measures should be
implemented:  sealing surfaces, increasing air exchange, use of
sorbents, etc.  The Canadian Conservation Institute, particularly
Jean Tetrault, has done a lot of research on this topic.

Cecily M. Grzywacz
Associate Scientist
The Getty Conservation Inst.

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                  Conservation DistList Instance 11:56
                Distributed: Tuesday, December 23, 1997
                       Message Id: cdl-11-56-002
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