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Re: ThermaCare air-activated heat packs
A very comprehensive article about anoxic treatment is, "A low tech method for insect eradication using Ageless" by Jon Brandon and Gordon Hanlon, AIC/WAG, 2003. Unfortunately I have not been able to find this article in the WAG online archives during a brief search this morning, to share with this posting. There are numerous Instances in the AIC distlist archives about anoxic treatment, in various applications.
Use of the ThermaCare as an oxygen scavenger has been a quick fix and certainly took care of my emergency. I also use the bags and packets to store small rugs and have also isolated small packets of old books that appeared to be infested with mites. The bags do not have to be radically compressed to be effective and there is a certain degree of shrinkage and tightening of the bag from the reduction of oxygen. The exothermic reaction definitely kills critters and the bags have remained deflated over two years, in the case of the books, suggesting that air is not air leaking in. However, this is not a recommended recipe and needs some delving into.
I assume that Mitsubishi Gas Corporation is still the proprietary source of this material. They market packets of iron and potassium chloride (Ageless) in several different compositions which are used for a range of differing uses. Some formultions will scavenge larger volumes of oxygen and are rated (Z-100, Z-1000, etc.) to incidate the mililiters of oxygen which the packet can scavenge. If the packets are designed for open air use , vs encapsulation or container, I suspect they are formulated for a higher RH.
And what about the oxygen permeability of Space Bags? Less than 0.1% is the requirement for low oxygen fumigations, in most studies I have read.
On Jan 13, 2005, at 10:13 PM, Snug, Comforts for your Home wrote:
Jane
Could you give some more info on how this works to kill wool moths & larvae. I am sure I am not the only one on the list interested in this method for some of our personal textiles, even if it isn't tested for conservation care.
Thanx
Sheldon
On Thursday, January 13, 2005, at 06:50 PM, Jane Hammond wrote:
I've also wondered the same. I have used them to store my own woolens and have also experimented, successfully, with non-traditional anoxic treatments on some bug-fested sweaters, using Space Bags and ThermaCaret air-activated heat packs sold in the drug stores for sports injuries. The pacs appear to contain the same ingredients as Ageless (see below) and certainly have the same granular feel both before and after exhaustion of materials. Plus, the adhesive side designed to stick to your back allows the very warm packet to be attached to whichever side becomes "top" in the SpaceBag, away from the object. So far, the SpaceBags have provided an airtight seal - at least for the 8-hour life of the packets-and the packet/packets deactivated (cool down) within 30 min.
I mentioned this bit of Outsider Treatment to some textile conservators at a recent regional meeting but haven't really had time to really pursue the possibilities or do the investigative work needed. Any feedback or ideas would be greatly appreciated . If proved safe, it would great to know emergency help for infestations was as close as the local drugstore.
Jane Hammond
Here's info about ThermaCare I just pulled up:
ThermaCare is an innovative topical heat therapy that provides pain relief combined with long-lasting deep muscle relaxation. Each ThermaCare HeatWrap has a heat pack area composed of oval heat discs (ThermaCells) that contain iron, carbon, sodium chloride, sodium thiosulfate, and water. When these heat cells are exposed to atmospheric air, they undergo an exothermic oxidative reaction that produces detectable levels of heat (40°C) for up to eight hours.
On Jan 13, 2005, at 3:08 PM, Mary Ballard wrote:
Hi everyone: Our shy & retiring computer administrator Mignon (who keeps us
organized) sent us this query & there seems to be a lot of interest, so I
hope everyone will think about it & respond to the list, with cc:'s to the
originators.
"Mignon Erixon-Stanford" <erixonm@xxxxxxxxxx> 01/13/05 02:18PM >>>
Question for the textiles experts...
----- Original Message -----
From: "Kiersten Latham" <kierstenl@xxxxxxxxx>
To: <RCAAM@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
Sent: Thursday, January 13, 2005 1:01 PM
Subject: Re: Space Bags
I am VERY interested in this question too. Amazingly, I was just
thinking
similar thoughts earlier this week!
Kiersten F. Latham, Collection Manager
Kansas Cosmosphere & Space Center
1100 N. Plum Hutchinson, KS 67501
620-662-2305 x309
-----Original Message-----
From: Registrars Committee of the AAM on behalf of Susan Smyer
Sent: Thu 1/13/2005 11:51 AM
To: RCAAM@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
Subject: Space Bags
Good morning everyone,
I need to store large numbers of sheet, pillowcases and wool blankets
for lengthy periods of time and I don't have much climate-controlled
space for storage. Have any of you used Space Bags that vacuum out air
and compress the bags? They are made from polyethylene and nylon which
is probably OK to use, but I would like to know if they off-gas or do
anything horrible to textiles.
Thanks for your help.
Susan Smyer
Collections Manager
Battleship TEXAS SHS
3527 Battleground Rd.
La Porte, TX 77571
(281) 479-2431 ex.239
susan.smyer@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
Mary W. Ballard
Senior Textiles Conservator
Smithsonian Center for Materials Research & Education
4210 Silver Hill Road, Suitland MD 20746 USA
tel: 301-238-1210 fax: 301-238-3709
email: ballardm@xxxxxxxxxxxx
Snug
Comforts for your Home
Studio 413
Park Trades Center
326 West Kalamazoo Ave.
Kalamazoo, MI
49007
Phone: 269 330-2305
snugcomforts@xxxxxxxxxxx
Please note the new email address.
snugcomforts@xxxxxxxxxxx
PLEASE CHANGE YOUR ADDRESS BOOKS AND MAILING LIST AND START USING THE NEW EMAIL ADDRESS. THANX
sschwitek@xxxxxxxxxxx
The old one is still active, but I am going to be switching over at some point and want people to start using the new one.
Sheldon Schwitek
1738 Commonwealth Ave.
Kalamazoo, MI.
49006
Ph: 269 345-9002
Cell: 269 330-2305
email: sschwitek@xxxxxxxxxxx
We cannot in fairness rail against those
who destroy the rain forest or
threaten the spotted owl
when we have made our own yards uninhabitable.
from "Noah's Garden" by Sara Stein