Sterilization

Georgia Fox <gfox [at] csuchico__edu> writes

>Does anybody out there in listland have a solution for sterilizing
>dirt to go into a museum exhibit--a method that isn't toxic or
>doesn't offgas?

A completely non-toxic way to sterilize soil is to cook it. This
method is used by gardeners to prevent microbial growth and pest
activity in greenhouses and planters. I have not done this since
grade school, so consulted an internet gardening site for
temperature and duration. They suggested 180-200F for 10 to 15
minutes. You might want to check out Rose Smart's recent DistList
submission on using sunlight to heat-kill museum pests. If you have
a great deal of soil, the method she describes would be much easier
than putting batches through a conventional oven or micro-wave.

Valery Monahan
Conservator
Heritage Branch
Dept. of Tourism
Government of Yukon
867-667-3431
Fax: 867-667-5377


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                  Conservation DistList Instance 15:63
                  Distributed: Tuesday, March 19, 2002
                       Message Id: cdl-15-63-006
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