Northern States Conservation Center
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Providing collection care, preservation and conservation treatment services to collectors and collecting institutions.

   Collection Care > Environment


















Pollutants & Particulates

In addition to providing non-fluctuating temperature and relative humidity, an HVAC (heating, ventilating and air-conditioning unit) should clean and filter the air. Filtration systems promote adequate ventilation and reduce pollutants by removing dust, particles and harmful gases.

Gases and particles are the two components of air pollution. Particles from burning fuels or cigarette smoke are sooty and tarry, acidic from adsorbed sulfuric acid, and contain trace metals, such as iron, which start degradation. Dust is abrasive, unsightly, and may absorb acidic fumes or moisture from the air. Absorbed water damages glass and metals. Abrasive particles act as little saw teeth, cutting organic material when it expands and contracts from humidity fluctuations or scratching finely polished surfaces.

Acid corrodes metals and destroys organic material. Sulfur dioxide, a common pollutant gas, is formed from burning fossil fuels. It turns into sulfuric acid in the presence of water and can rapidly disintegrate carbonate materials such as chalk, limestone, marble, and alkaline sandstone. It also embrittles and yellows plant fibers such as paper, cotton, linen, rayon, and wood; causes "red rot" in leather; attacks paints and pigments; breaks down synthetic materials such as nylon and rubber; and corrodes metal.

Oxidizers, primarily ozone and nitrogen dioxide, are produced when oxygen breaks down. Ultraviolet rays in the upper atmosphere, sunlight on car exhaust fumes (photochemical smog), or certain lamps and electrical equipment such as electrostatic precipitators and photocopy machines (neither should be located near collection storage), create ozone or nitrogen dioxide. Oxidizers react with all organic materials causing structural breakdown. They attack dyes, pigments, inks, cotton, basketry, paper and polyesters. Nitrogen dioxide also forms nitric acid in the presence of high relative humidity, resulting in damage that is similar to that caused by sulfuric acid.

Courses we recommend:


NA255: Dangerous Materials: Chemical Poisons in Native American and Ethnographic Artifacts
              Oct 4 - Oct 29, 2010
              Course Description & Info - Student Login
              Price: $150.00     Sign up at www.nathpo.org
              Instructor: Nancy Odegaard
Students must be staff at a tribal institution and meet NATHPO qualifications. This course is subsidized by the Institute of Museum and Library Services through a grant awarded to NATHPO.

Books and products we recommend:

Express VacExpress Vac (formerly Jr. Vac), our smallest vacuum, weighs 8 lb. (with accessories and box) and has a top handle. Measures 12”x 8.25” x 9.5”. Fabric carrying Tote sold separately. Two 0.3 micron filtration systems are available: (1) a disposable, anti-dump canister filter in a recycled plastic housing, or (2) a bag and shell filter combination. Low suction makes this vacuum ideal for collection cleaning. See micro-tools under accessories.
Express Vac with 0.3 micron bag and shell filter$134
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Express Vac with 0.3 micron cartridge filter $144
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Express Vac Carry Tote$29.95
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Express Vac 0.3 micron bag & shell filter (10 bags, 1 shell)$25.70
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Express Vac 0.3 micron filter cartridges (2/pack) $23.64
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Express Vac Wall Mount (Discontinued) $57.40
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Omega Vac SupremeOmega Vac Supreme, weighing 12 lb., has a shoulder strap and lid storage area for accessories. Measures 19.5” x 9” x 6.25”. Choice of filter determines level of dust retention: 0.3 micron and 0.12 micron (HEPA). Both filters are disposable, anti-dump canisters. The vacuum meets UL and CSA certified safety standards. Great for general exhibit and storage room cleaning. Suction is stronger than normally desired for cleaning collections.
Omega Vac Supreme with 0.3 micron filter $269.00
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Omega Vac Supreme with 0.12 micron (HEPA) filter $279.00
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Omega Vac Supreme, 0.3 micron filters (1/pack) $21.50
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Omega Vac Supreme, 0.3 micron filters (2/pack) $38.50
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Omega Vac Supreme 0.12 micron filter, HEPA (one) $49.00
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Omega Vac Supreme Backpack Carrier $85.00
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HCTV VacuumHCTV Vacuum, our largest vacuum, is designed for high volume us-ers. A foot pedal makes it easy to clean material while sitting at a table or lab bench. Its rolling base doubles as a tray for storing the vacuum’s accessories. With a five-gallon capacity, this vacuum offers two levels of filtration: 0.3 micron and 0.12 micron (HEPA). Great for general exhibit and storage room cleaning. Suction is stronger than normally desired for cleaning collections. It comes with an extra-long flexible stretch hose, increasing your reach.
HCTV Vacuum with 0.3 micron cartridge filter $579
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HCTV Vacuum with 0.12 micron (HEPA) cartridge filter $595
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HCTV Vacuum 0.3 micron filter cartridge $60.00
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HCTV Vacuum 0.12 micron filter (HEPA) cartridge $80.00
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HCTV Backpack $85.00
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Floor tools in hanging caddyVacuum Accessories fit our Atrix vacuums, making them more flexible. Micro-tools attach to the hose to create a finer cleaning capability. Floor tools in a hanging caddy, designed for door knobs or hooks, allow general collection room cleaning. Longer hoses and hose couplers ensure any distance can be reached with your Atrix vacuum without risking the collection. We carry a Tote for the Express Vac and filters for all of our vacuums. (Floor tools come in a hanging caddy, as pictured on the left)
Floor tools in hanging caddy $55.00
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Micro-tools $13.50
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6 ft. hose $29.95
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10 ft. hose $34.95
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Hose coupler (joining two hoses) $14.95
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Flexneck crevice tool $15.95
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Materials Testing KitMaterials Testing Kit Acid fumes are a danger to any collection. This kit provides information and supplies to aid in the testing of construction materials. The Materials Testing Kit includes 24 glass jars, acid detection strips, tweezers, silver coupons, lead coupons, aluminum foil, 1 sheet of preprinted labels and an instruction manual.
Materials Testing Kit $120.00
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Polished lead
coupons (24)
$22.15
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Polished silver
coupons (24)
$24.95
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A-D (Acid-Detection)
Strips (250)
$50.55
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Materials Testing Kit Booklet $15.00
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Collections Caretaker Vol 1 No 2
Vol.1 No.2
Vacuum Cleaners
$5.00
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Collections Caretaker Vol 1 No 4
Vol.1 No.4
Indoor Generated Pollutants
$5.00
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Links to related information on other sites:

Indoor Air Pollution in Museums and Archives
http://www.iaq.dk/

Indoor Air Pollution: Detection and Mitigation of Carbonyls, Presentation Abstracts and Additional Notes
http://www.iaq.dk/iap/iap1998/1998_contents.htm

Pollution in the photographic archive
- a practical approach to the problem

http://www.iaq.dk/papers/iada1999.htm

Indoor Air Pollution: Detection and Prevention
http://www.iaq.dk/iap/iap1999/1999_contents.htm

CARBONYL POLLUTANTS : A MUSEUM PERSPECTIVE
http://iaq.dk/iap/iap1998/1998_13.htm

Ozone: an Invisible Menace
http://palimpsest.stanford.edu/waac/wn/ wn05/wn05-1/wn05-102.html

1.8 Protection of Works of Art from Damage Due to Photochemical Smog.
http://www.getty.edu/conservation/science/abstracts/1.8.html

1.9 Protection of Works of Art from Damage Due to Deposition of Airborne Particulate Matter
http://www.getty.edu/conservation/science/abstracts/1.9.html

1.10 Protection of Works of Art from Damage Due to Atmospheric Nitric Acid
http://www.getty.edu/conservation/science/abstracts/1.10.html

1.11 Museum Survey of Indoor PAN, Nitrogen Dioxide, Nitric Acid, Chlorinated Hydrocarbons, Sulfur Dioxide, and Total Reduced Sulfur
http://www.getty.edu/conservation/science/abstracts/1.11.html

1.13 Study of the Effects of Sulfur Dioxide and Nitrogen Dioxide on Deacidified Papers-Part 1
http://www.getty.edu/conservation/science/abstracts/1.13.html

1.14 Study of the Effects of Sulfur Dioxide and Nitrogen Dioxide on Deacidified Papers-Part 2
http://www.getty.edu/conservation/science/abstracts/1.14.html

1.19 Museum Survey for Indoor Aldehydes, Ketones, and Organic Acids
http://www.getty.edu/conservation/science/abstracts/1.19.html

1.20 Exposure of Artists' Colorants to Airborne Formaldehyde, Peroxyacetyl Nitrate (PAN) and (PAN Nitrogen Dioxide Ozone).
http://www.getty.edu/conservation/science/abstracts/1.20.html

Pollutants in Museums
http://www.getty.edu/conservation/science/pollutants/index.html

First results of a pilot decontamination in a PCP polluted building by means of a humidity controlled thermal process
http://palimpsest.stanford.edu/byauth/ gagelmann/gagelmann.html


Environment
|--Light--|--Relative Humidity & Temperature--|--Pollutants--|

Collection Care
|--General--|--Environment--|--Numbering--|--Storing--|--Exhibiting--|--Handling--|--Cleaning--|
|--Care by Type--|--Pest Control--|--Security--|--Long Range Planning--|--Emergency Preparedness--|



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Updated 19 Aug 2006