Air quality

The State Library of Queensland is currently planning extensive new
climate controlled repositories for storage of its cultural heritage
collections.  I am compiling specifications for air quality parameters in
these areas. At this point in time, I have assembled the following:

    Carbon Dioxide                  <2.50 ppb
    Ozone                           <0.94ppb (might change this to 0)
    Formaldehyde                    <4 ppb
    Sulphur Dioxide                 <0.35ppb
    Nitrogen Dioxide                <2.65ppb
    Chlorine                        <1-3ppb
    Hydrogen chlorine               <1-3ppb
    Acetic Acid                     <4
    Formic Acid                     <4
    Butyric Acid                    <4
    Propionic Acid                  <4
    Suspended particulate matter    <20 micrograms/m3

I was hoping for confirmation of these specifications and assistance
with specs for Airborne Bacteria, Airborne Fungi and Carbon
Monoxide. We want to ensure the optimum air quality for storage of
paper and photographic material. We are currently recommending 12
air changes an hour but the cost and plant implications of this
number of air changes has proved great so we are exploring alternate
solutions which will reduce the number of air changes but not air
quality or flow. I would be very interested in hearing from other
institutions who have tackled air quality and air flow issues in
storage repositories.

Lydia Egunnike
Senior Conservator
Collection Preservation
State Library of Queensland
PO Box 3488 South Brisbane
QLD Australia 4101
+61 7 3840 7779
Fax: +61 7 3840 7943


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                  Conservation DistList Instance 16:32
                 Distributed: Friday, November 8, 2002
                       Message Id: cdl-16-32-014
                                  ***