Insecticides used in India

We have been approached by a private collector who has recently
acquired a rare nineteenth century Hebrew primer, printed in Bombay
in 1860.  The book was recently bought in India and has been treated
with an insecticide with a particularly strong, unpleasant, acrid
odor (similar to burnt plastic) which the collector would like to
have removed. Airing over several months has done nothing to reduce
the odor and we are concerned about health and safety issues of
handling such material either by conservators or the book's owner.

Does any one know the following:

    What insecticides are used in India?

    What are the health and safety  issues to consider with these
    insecticides?

    How will these insecticides affect the long term stability of
    the paper?

    Is there any way to remove the insecticide and reduce the odor
    (this item will now remain in the UK)?

Elizabeth Neville
ACR MIPC


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                  Conservation DistList Instance 16:68
                    Distributed: Friday, May 2, 2003
                       Message Id: cdl-16-68-014
                                  ***