Humidifying nitrogen for anoxic treatment

Will Jeffers <wjeffers [at] mfa__org> writes

>I'm currently evaluating the need to humidify the nitrogen flush in
>a nondynamic Ageless fumigation of a Japanese folding screen.  Each
>screen panel consists of paper applied over a cedar latticework
>core, with the panels attached to each other by means of paper
>hinges.

You are inquiring about a situation involving the "fumigation" of a
Japanese screen with an humidified vs. non-humidified inert gas. The
first question to be asked is, Why are you going through this
process at all?  Are there active powder post beetles in the screen?
Are there silverfish feeding on the sizing?  Are there Anobiidae
feeding on the glued laminates?  Or is this "fumigation" simply an
overall "cure" to give you a sense of comfort that no infestation
will harm the screen?

Having worked as a professional consultant in the area of museum IPM
for 25 years, I find it fairly rare to find an active infestation in
such a screen. Old damage yes, active no.  And even if it is active,
there are usually alternatives to inert gas fumigation.  I certainly
would be willing to field any questions you might have via the
internet or on the phone.

Careful inspection and documentation of activity is the first step
with any infestation of a museum quality piece.  One would not want
to subject any museum artifact to any kind of fumigation trauma, if
there is no need to do so.

Thomas A. Parker, PhD
Entomologist
Pest Control Services, Inc.
610-284-6249


                                  ***
                  Conservation DistList Instance 13:39
                 Distributed: Monday, January 10, 2000
                       Message Id: cdl-13-39-004
                                  ***