Killing pests with microwaves

David Cottier-Angeli <dca [at] cottiermetal__ch> writes

>Would someone have scientific references and more general
>information on suggested technologies to kill some historical
>building wood beam pests? ...
>...
>The now suggested method is to uses microwaves (frequencies between
>300 MHz (0.3 GHz) and 300 GHz) set to heat up to 60 deg. C.

Some years ago I carried out extensive trials in an attempt to
develop microwaves as a method of pest control. At that time the
trials were unsuccessful, maybe things have moved on since then, but
at the time we used similar energy levels as you describe and in
similar locations. We found two major problems: (1) Any metal object
with a point, such as a nail, acts as an aerial and focus the
microwaves to a small area inside the wood. It gets so hot that in
some cases it catches fire. (2) I recall similar studies undertaken
in a mocked up house in Berkeley UCLA in the 1980's where they
found, as we did, that the microwaves travel a long way out of the
building and could cause serious health and safety problems. All
future work was abandoned. I don't see this as a method of
conservation.

Deep injection with a solvent based insecticide may be the answer

If you would like to contact me by private mail, I will be pleased
to try to help your solve your problem.

Colin Smith Conservation Ltd.
+44 1444 400481
Mobile +44 7777672250


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                  Conservation DistList Instance 25:34
                 Distributed: Sunday, January 22, 2012
                       Message Id: cdl-25-34-004
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