The NanoRestArt project is a multinational network of conservators, scientists, and industry partners working to develop and test novel nanotechnology-based materials intended for the conservation and preservation of modern and contemporary cultural heritage. Funded by an EU Framework Programme for Research and Innovation Horizon 2020 grant, the project consists of 27 partners, most of which reside in the European Union. The research and development process for these tools is divided into four major categories: gels and nanostructured fluids for cleaning, nanocontainers and nanoparticles for surface protection and strengthening, sensors for molecular detection, and environmental impact of the new materials. As a partner in NanoRestArt, the Tate is investigating the development and evaluation of cleaning systems in collaboration with the Research Center for Colloids and Nanoscience (CSGI), who developed the nano-structured cleaning agents.
Dr. Angelova’s discussion of her work with the Tate and the NanoRestArt project focused on testing nano-structured cleaning systems, investigating their effects on Michael Dillon’s Op Structure sculptures and on mock-ups intended to replicate the properties of the artwork. Chemical analysis of one Op Structure sculpture revealed that it is made entirely of poly(methyl methacrylate), or PMMA, and adhered with PMMA cement. It is an excellent candidate for the NanoRestArt evaluation process because it is composed of a synthetic polymer material which cannot be easily treated with conventional conservation techniques and can benefit from wet surface cleaning. The plastic structure is in very good condition but does show evidence of dust accumulation and surface soiling from handling as well as adhesive labels in need of removal.
Op Structure by Michael Dillon. Image courtesy of http://www.tate.org.uk
The mock-up samples were created by treating a series of semi-opaque acrylic polymer sheets with a variety of soiling materials to mimic finger grease, dirt, and adhesive labels, also including some un-soiled control surfaces. In addition, a range of materials were used to clean the samples including the novel NanoRestArt gels created by CSGI as well as typical cleaning agents used by conservators. PMMA is a highly glossy material which is easily scratched by surface wiping and dissolved by many common solvents. The NanoRestArt gels were therefore chosen as appropriate cleaning materials to avoid such issues during cleaning, and can be loaded with a variety of fluids for cleaning purposes.
The evaluation process involved treating each soiled and control mock-up sample surface in triplicate using each cleaning method, and evaluating the results using a Hirox microscope, gloss meter, colorimeter, and infrared spectrometer. Conservators rated each cleaning agent based on its ease of use, health and safety characteristics, control, soil removal effectiveness, tendency to leave residues, and gloss change using a number system. After treating the mock-up samples, the Tate research team found that to the naked eye, simple cleaning solutions (such as saliva or deionized water) worked well to remove the soil, but left scratches and streaks when viewed under the microscope. Additionally, soiled surfaces cleaned with gels showed evidence of gel residues and microdroplets as the sample surfaces are non-absorbant. The best cleaning results derived from a microcloth moistened with a combination of a surfactant and a chelator known as triammonium citrate. For the adhesive labels, some microemulsion cleaning agents were successful in removing them from mock-up samples. Dr. Angelova mentioned that they were not able to load the microemulsions into the NanoRestArt gels, but this would probably be an ideal cleaning solution.
Mock-up samples used to test cleaning procedures. Image courtesy of http://www.tate.org.uk
When working with the actual Op Structure sculptures, conservators chose to clean a small, inconspicuous soiled area, beginning with water and working up to the surfactant and chelator solution – a process which effectively removed dirt without scratching the surface. Based on the mock-up tests, conservators were able to successfully remove adhesive labels from the artwork using a solution of water and isopropyl alcohol.
This talk was a good example of collaborative art historical and material science research. Two of the three authors, Kaslyne O’Connor and Ariel Pate, discussed a study that revolved around two gum-platinum prints by Edward Steichen from his 1904 “Moonrise” series in the collection of the Art Institute of Chicago that had titles and dates under question. Each print had been referred to by different names (“Midnight Lake George” and “Moonlight Lake George“), and varied in tonality and surface sheen (you will notice that the prints have the same titles and dates on the Art Institute of Chicago website). Furthermore, the image in one of the prints is flipped horizontally.
A letter from Steichen to Stieglitz talks about “Midnight Lake George” being a platinum print followed by blue print, then greenish gum varnish. This letter is a valuable piece of information, along with X-Ray Fluorescence and Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy that gave characteristic signals for Prussian blue, platinum (“Midnight…” had more), palladium, mercury (traces in “Midnight…” only), chromium, iron (“Moonlight…” had more), and lead for both prints. Still to be determined is the distribution of Prussian blue throughout the print, which would suggest the cyanotype process vs. a Prussian blue watercolor wash over the entire surface of the print. Clip marks at the print edges did displace the gum layer, thus revealing a blue layer below, which could be a hint that the cyanotype process was used. Examination of “Midnight…” under ultraviolet light exhibited a green fluorescents characteristic of linseed oil.
A Camera Works supplement from 1906 refers to “Moonlight…”. A 1910 Albright Art Gallery catalog for the “International Exhibition of Pictorial Photography” refers to “Moonlight…” having been made using a platinum gum process “peculiarly [Steichen’s] own”. Ultimately, a timeline was proposed by the authors using the information gathered from this research, which supports the 1904 (“Midnight…”) and 1909 (“Moonlight…”) printing dates for each. More apt titles were also proposed–”Road to the Valley, Moonrise” for “Midnight…” and “Road to the Valley, Moonrise Lake George” for “Moonlight”. Something that was noted that I found to be particularly interesting was that Steichen became less “poetic” in his later years, and retitled many of his prints.
Also to note, this project was born out of a previous project to create the website The Alfred Stieglitz Collection, a rich resource recommended to visit.
Nathália Vieira Serrano’s talk focussed on the “incorporation” and “disincorporation” (accessioning/deaccessioning) of archival documents in the Department of Archives and Documentation at Casa de Oswaldo Cruz, in Fundação Oswaldo Cruz, in Rio de Janeiro. She discussed the overarching framework that was developed to help guide decisions of accessioning and deaccessioning collection materials, and then as a case study, the application of this framework to a specific collection–a collection of history of science of public health. This collection consists of glass plate negatives, roll and sheet film, all by various photographers and on different themes including, history, health education, scientific divulgation, and life sciences. A survey determined that the images were still in good shape, as were their supports.
The talk was a nice example of the challenges staff in the world of preservation face when needing to determine what can stay and what needs to go, the many factors to consider, and the criteria and prioritization to establish when making such important decisions. Serrano mentioned the mission of Casa de Oswaldo Cruz, the difference between multidisciplinary vs transdisciplinary, and the different stakeholders (researchers, collection managers, and potential current and future interested parties) that are taken into account. She also referred to Salvador Muñoz Viñas writings on contemporary theory of conservation and his statement that conservation is not a neutral act.
I appreciate how it is difficult to convey fully in a 20-25 minute talk the complexity of these types of projects. There are so many interesting points to think about, large and small, and people from different points of interest that are part of the decision making process. If there is one area I would have been interested in learning more about, it was some similarities and differences in their approach when compared to other national and international institutions. The presentation also gave insight to a large collection in Rio de Janeiro, how it is stored, and the building and environment that surrounds it.
Two questions that were asked after the talk were:
Is cost considered when deciding whether or not to deaccession? Answer: The survey is still underway, but cost will likely be considered.
What is the size of the collection? Answer: Still to be determined. (But an image was shown of the storage area the collection takes up)
Having a new conservation space built is the greatest hope and fear of many conservators – such an opportunity to take advantage of, and also to potentially go wrong! Justin Johnson’s presentation about their experiences at the University of Washington Libraries in Seattle, WA was a great insight into the process, and, given they seem to largely be pleased with the outcome, demonstrates that you sometimes can get what you want, as well as what you need.
The previous conservation space was located in a basement, cramped at only 2000 sq ft, and had last been updated in 1963. A new conservation position, partly funded by the Andrew W. Mellon foundation, was the impetus to create a new conservation space with more up-to-date equipment and space for the now four full time conservators, plus up to three part-time students and interns.
One of the early things the conservation team did was to create future goals for their space. Some of these included:
increasing the ability to undertake major treatments on collection items, while maintaining general collection work
incorporate book, paper and photograph treatments in the same space
have the ability to teach and train student conservators and interns
have a flexible and open space that could be used for workshops and research as well as treatment
The team also consulted widely with conservation scientists and treatment conservators of many disciplines.
A new space on the rooftop was identified, double the size of the previous space at 4000 sq ft, with natural light from five skylights. However, there were limitations on HVAC and ducting placement for a fume hood. Services with restrictions were placed in the design first, with other equipment fitted in around them. The fume hood location was determined first, followed by the rest of the wet lab: sinks, exhaust trunks, microscopy, suction and humidification, light bleaching and materials storage.
A multi-purpose documentation room was designed, where curtains could screen off an area to allow for photography or artefact examination and low-tech analysis, but still allow the space to be open to the rest of the lab area.
At one end of the main space a storage, office and reception area was located, with the rest of the space being fitted out for the main treatment work, including space for 10 work benches and more storage. This space had an open focus to encourage communication and collaboration as well as reconfiguration, when required.
While an architectural team was engaged to create the space, the conservation team were heavily involved, thinking through the design of furniture (especially for storage purposes) and thoroughly investigating the departmental work flows and how they would work in the space.
The conservation team drew their workflow movements on paper and overlaid them on the design drawings and also used computer tools, such as Live Home 3D Pro, to visualise the space and move furniture around to try out new orientations. This software was very useful to ‘walk through’ the space, make adjustments to the design and then send them via pdf to the architects. It also facilitated communication between the conservators and architects and saved a lot of money in lengthy redesigns which would have occurred in a later phase of the project.
15 months after the initial bid phase, the team moved into their new space in February 2016.
Questions:
Q1) What is the climate and do you know the air exchange rate? A1) Aiming for 70F/50% but are still in the process of balancing the AHUs. They are finding that the fume hood competes with the HVAC.
Q2) Who did the lighting design? A2) It was done by a UWA group at the end of the project; the Live Home 3D Pro software has a large database of furniture and lighting which can be added to the design.
Q3) What was the total budget? A3) Got support from the Mellon grant, UWA donors and campus funding. A lot of money was saved in design fees by the proactive work of the conservation team.
Q4) What was the size of the benches and the area around them? A4) The benches both fixed and moveable are all the same height and measure 60” x 38” with 3.5’ between benches.
Q5) Detail on the skylights: specification and R values? A5) The lighting system has an automated system to take the daylight into account; the lights reduce on a bright day (which is rare in Seattle!).
This year ECPN rolled out a new program during a pre-meeting session that allowed poster presenters another venue to share their projects and research. I was very excited for this session because I have felt overwhelmed by the number of posters and limited free time to view them. A similar sentiment was later echoed at the AIC Business Meeting. I hope that ECPN (or AIC generally) considers organizing a similar session next meeting and I would encourage anyone looking for more engagement with poster authors to attend.
This session was in no way comprehensive of all the poster submissions. ECPN members received a notification about the session about a year before the meeting. However, ECPN contacted all poster authors once they were accepted to the general AIC poster session. The email solicitation encouraged “emerging conservation professionals” and “topics relevant to ECPs (not necessarily authored by ECPs)” according to Rebecca Gridley, ECPN Vice Chair and one of the organizers of the session. There were 14 presenters total this year, which were chosen from email responses of poster authors indicating an interest in participating. The final selection was chosen to offer a range of talks across specialties and include speakers spanning the ECPN demographic, according to Gridley. Unfortunately not every author interested was able to be included due to time restraints of the session, but ECPN is considering how this could be improved in the future.
This year’s inaugural Lightning Round did seem to have mostly young presenters including pre-program, graduate students, and recent graduates. It does seem that ECPN is trying to be more inclusive and the demographic of “ECP” is only loosely defined. Certainly the audience this year was more diverse than the presenters and included AIC Fellows and other more established professionals in the field. At the same time, the environment of the Lightning Round felt very safe and welcoming. We were seated at round tables, which was more casual than auditorium seating. This was a great opportunity for first-time presenters to get their feet wet. One of the speakers was a first-time attendee and presented on her first conservation treatment ever as a pre-program. This session promoted information sharing and dialogue—activities that I personally feel will only help strengthen our field.
Alex Nichols reflecting on the benefit of the Lightning Round said, “I was approached by several conservators and researchers in specialties other than my own [modern and contemporary objects] who said that they were introduced to my research through the lightning round presentations.” In comparison to the last time Nichols presented a poster (at the 43rd Annual Meeting in Miami), she had more people ask about her research, which she attributes to the exposure from the ECPN Lightning Round.
Cathie Magee presenting alongside Michiko Adachi at ECPN Poster Lighting Round. The moderators are seated at the table.
The 14 poster topics were divided into two rounds, which allowed for a necessary intermission/bathroom break. The rounds were moderated by Michelle Sullivan, ECPN Chair, and Rebecca Gridley, ECPN Vice Chair.
In the spirit of the “Lightning Round” each presenter was given two minutes and three content slides to summarize their poster at the podium. This seemed like a daunting task and like I might not receive much more information than the title of the poster. I was really impressed with how clear and concise all the speakers were (I think the tambourine—symbolizing time’s up—only had to be used once). I learned a lot from the brief presentations and there was even time for one or two questions for every speaker. Having the visual component of the slides I felt took this beyond what a written abstract can offer. The Q & A was also very lively and I think emphasized how valued the poster presentations are to the conservation community.
I found this Lightning Round useful not only for the direct information, but also in helping me be more efficient with my time in the exhibition hall with the posters. Each PowerPoint included the poster number for easy reference to the location in the exhibit hall. Feeling similarly, Claire Curran, Assistant Objects Conservator at the ICA, also in attendance, and reacted, “definitely visiting this one—sounds really cool” in response to a treatment of a Hopi Katsina doll. The room was filled and there seemed to be a strong positive response to the session.
To keep things light and encourage additional networking during the ECPN Happy Hour (which immediately followed the Lightning Round) a fun fact about each presenter was announced in addition to his/her professional bio. For example, Sarah Giffin was introduced as the “meat whisperer” because of her delicious slow cooking brisket recipe.
I am embarrassed to say that I did not know that the posters are published on the AIC website after each Annual Meeting. You can access them here.
To help your exploration of the .pdf files online, here are some of the highlights each presenter chose to emphasize during the ECPN Lightning Round.
#30 Conservation in Miniature: The merger of museum object and historic interior in the treatment of a Victorian era dollhouse
Sarah Giffin
Applied in situ treatment methodology used for full-scale interiors to miniature interior of Horniman dollhouse
Mist consolidation with nebulizer using Klucel G in acetone (tests in water solubilized tannins in wooden walls creating issues with tidelines)
Condensation in the small tube was a challenge and had to tap out liquid droplets at times
#60 Conservation and Art Historical Data goes Digital at the Art Institute of Chicago
Kaslyne O’Connor
Interactive website for conservation treatment of a collection of Alfred Stieglitz photographs and some contemporaries
artic.edu/Stieglitz
Used WordPress platform because easy interface and allowed for frequent updates to content
Provides links to art historical information as well conservation/ technical information and research
#44 Applying Fills to Losses in a Flexible Polyurethane Foam Chair at the Museum of Modern Art
Alex Nichols
Research and analysis to confirm type of foam composition of the chair
Bulked methylcellulose and grated polyurethane foam for consolidation and filling of losses; liquid nitrogen helped harden foam enough to easily grate and shape
Inpranil DLV/1 is a traditionally favored consolidant for polyurethane foam but has been challenging to acquire
#92 Chemical Cleaning and Intervention Criteria in a Brass Dial Clock from the XIX Century
João Henrique Ribeiro Barbosa
Clock face (only surviving element of the clock) composed of three different metals joined together with rivets
Previous cleaning by polishing left white residues and new corrosion products developed underneath
Ammonium citrate solution addressed polish residues with “DTCNa” or sodium diethyldithiocarbamate solution addressed corrosion products
#24 History, Treatment, and Preparation for Digitization of 14th-century Estate Rolls
Annabel Pinkney
Surface cleaning, humidification, repair with Japanese tissue
Rehousing to handle during treatment, digitization, and future research
#42 Treatment and Reconstruction of a Badly Damaged Hopi Katsina Doll Made of Gourd
Hayley Monroe
Gourds painted in acrylic
Treatment included surface cleaning, consolidating cracks, introducing new internal armature to help with reassembly and stabilization
Used silicone self-adhering bands to secure while mends were setting
Armature was set in place before doll head was reattached; tensioned wire extending to wings before head was placed back on
#10 Towards Nondestructive Characterization of Black Drawing Media
Nathan Daly
Redon drawings were used for case study
Redon working period overlapped with commercial materials available in 20th century
Macro XRF scanning used to map elements combined with micro Raman spectroscopy
Characterization relied on peaks in fingerprint region and peaks indicative of known additives to distinguish between different carbon-based media
785nm laser for Raman because of heavy use of fixatives on the drawings
#27 (I Can’t Get No) Documenation: Preservation reporting in the Archives
Marissa Vassari
Established a template “Preservation Report” for standardized documentation and condition reporting
Focus on up-to-date condition and documentation of current status of projects and personnel involved; address realities of institution with changing/temporary staff and disruptions project workflow
Format based on feedback from other institutions and existing condition reports in the archive
#80 Bedbugs: A pesky problem
Meredith Wilcox-Levine
Addressing infestation of a Lakota teepee in private hands installed behind owner’s bed
Freezing unsuccessful likely not able to achieve low enough temperatures throughout
“Solarization” using hatchback car appeared to work (i.e. no live bugs remained)
For domestic infestation chemical treatment often necessary for bed bugs; they are night feeders and hide during the day
#32 Treatment of a Shattered Bark Basket from Australia
Marci Jefcoat Burton
Basket likely eucalyptus bark sealed with natural resin
Consolidated with B-72; bridged with tissue and blend of Lascaux adhesives
Removable internal support for storage constructed of backer rod (trapezoidal shaped Ethafoam strips) shaped to the contour of the basket and padded with Volara
#84 Lifting the Microfiber Veil: Utilizing Evolon fabric at the Mauritshuis to remove aged varnish from Hendrick Heerschop’s A Visit to the Doctor
Julie Ribits
Evolon is 70:30 polyester: polyamide spun-bond fabric
Evolon originally developed as anti-bug fabric
Used to lift and remove aged varnish; gentle and appropriate for surfaces with extensive lead soap networks
Polyamide fibers are hydrophilic and contribute to aqueous cleaning
#22 Captain America Encounters Klucel M
Michiko Adachi and Cathie Magee
Captain America pages had been stapled together in case binding
Mending utilized solvent reactivated tissue to avoid solubility issues and tidelines from acidic migration of newsprint substrate
Klucel M used as adhesive because of strength and transparency
Klucel M artificially aged by Library of Congress and seems to have similar properties/behavior to Klucel G
#67 Initial Treatment Techniques for Japanese Lacquer-based Metallic Thread and Cut Paper Applique
Elinor Dei Tos Pironti
Solubility testing was used to characterize original adhesive for metallic paper threads on a Japanese garment
Urushi was used to consolidate metallic threads
#31 Under Close Observation: A pilot study monitoring change in objects’ conditions
Ashley Freeman
Summarizing current research and findings of the Managing Collections Environment Initiative at the Getty
Comparing different methods of monitoring conditions of objects including photographic documentation (DSLR, point and shoot camera, iPhone), caliper measurements to monitor cracks, acoustic emissions
14 objects representative of materials found in institutional collections used for case study; exposed to humidity cycling
Remy Dreyfuss-Deseigne described research related to mending methods for transparent materials using nanocellulose films. His research has been carried out with several institutional partners, at the National Library of France (BnF, Paris, France), Research Center for Conservation (CRC, Paris, France), French Museum of Cinema, and during his 2015-2016 NEA fellowship in paper conservation at the Conservation Center for Art & Historic Artifacts (CCAHA, Philadelphia, PA).
Remy opened with some images of difficult structural problems: torn gelatin windows, animation cells, and architectural drawings on tracing paper. He then introduced nanocellulose, explaining how it is made, what its properties are, and its potential for use in conservation.
His work focuses on one kind of nanocellulose, microfibrillated cellulose (abbreviated MFC). Nanocellulose materials are produced for a variety of uses in electronics and biotech, and are being researched and manufactured by several universities including in Grenoble, France and at the University of Maine.
Nanocellulose is produced by mechanically shearing wood to rip apart the fibers until they are nano in scale. Cotton, spruce and birch can all be used as sources for nanocellulose. The amorphous parts of the remaining cellulose structure are treated with acid in order to dissolve them, leaving highly crystalline fibrils. There is a lot of ongoing research into the production of nanocellulose in the nanotechnology, renewable materials, and sustainable engineering fields.
Nanocellulose fibrils vs. crystals, image from: https://3dprint.com/69012/american-process-and-ornl-say-nanocellulose-will-rival-carbon-fiber-for-3d-printing/
For conservation applications, Remy compared the properties of nanocellulose films to lightweight Japanese papers like gampi and kozo used to mend tears on translucent artworks. Nanocellulose is supplied as a gel that can be cast out by pouring into a petri dish and evaporating out the water, creating films that vary proportionally in thickness related to concentration. Remy’s research investigates its properties in combination with different adhesives, and its response to artificial aging tests (light, temperature and humidity) as well as mechanical strength tests.
He found that the nanocellulose films were thinner than papers but quite strong (nearly as strong as Gampi), and mostly behaved like cellulose, a good thing for their use as a paper conservation material. Most importantly, mends made with the thin films are practically invisible in regular and transmitted light. These mends were demonstrated on translucent slides with tears from the collection of the French Museum of Cinema (impressive work!). Ongoing testing will include further analysis of the material, e.g. pH and mechanical strength measurements and fungal resistance tests.
While this was the first time I had heard about nanocellulose it has many potential uses, and not just for mending translucent materials. As a biomaterial derived from renewable forestry resources, nanocellulose has gotten a lot of attention over the past five years for its potential in industrial applications. Given its high ratio of strength to weight it has great potential for use in fill materials of all types, and has already found applications in industrial 3D printing as a substitute for carbon fibers in composites. Since it is compatible with many adhesives, it may find wide-ranging applications in conservation. I am looking forward to hearing more about Remy’s ongoing research and thank him for the excellent introduction to an interesting material. You can learn more about Remy’s work at his website.
Art from the Kizil Caves at the Smithsonian Freer Gallery of Art and Arthur M. Sackler Gallery
David Thomas and I could be career siblings. We both have technical backgrounds in materials and polymer science. We both spent time in industry. And this the first time for both of us at an annual AIC meeting. Add in my pre-conservation R&D work on adhesives and the photochemical reactions of polymers, and it’s not surprising that I was chomping at the bit to hear his talk “Stability of Polyvinyl Butyral Polymers with Light Exposure”.
David explained how he, Matthew Clarke, and Blythe McCarthy were looking at the possibility of using polyvinyl butyral (PVB) as an adhesive material for use in consolidating fragments of wall paintings from the Kizil Cave Complex in Xinjiang Province, China. These wall paintings are generally matte in appearance and are comprised of gypsum on mud plaster support. More specifically, sixteen fragile fragments had been leant to the Freer Gallery from the Smithsonian American Art Museum.
PVB was identified as a potential match to the consolidation needs of the wall painting fragments for a few reasons. It darkens to a matte surface comparable or better than similar materials, it is easily applied and removed using ethanol, and it has been shown to be an effective consolidant for wood and bone materials. This left the question: how does PVB age under light exposure?
Photo-aging of PVB might sound familiar. David pointed out that Robert Feller published results on the photodegradation of PVB materials in 2007 (http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0141391005005057), digging into the chemical mechanisms of PVB degradation. The goal here, David emphasized, was not to look at the degradation mechanism itself but to investigate a more practical comparison of similar consolidation materials in actual use.
I found David at his most compelling when digging into the compositions and manufacturers of various grades of PVB. The types of PVB available vary primarily in their relative amounts of butyral, alcohol, and acetate content, a consequence of the polymer manufacturing process. He had a clear wealth of knowledge to offer here, and I wish he had presented even more (but that might just be the polymer scientist in me, your mileage may vary).
David and coworkers cast test films of a number of these grades of PVB, as well as control films of pure polyvinyl acetate (the industrial PVB precursor) and the ubiquitous Acryloid B-72 acrylic polymer, which were all then exposed to UVA (long wavelength UV) irradiation. At the same time, coworkers aged the same films by exposure to a weatherometer’s Xe lamp at the National Gallery of Art. They then tracked changes in color, mass loss, and IR spectra.
Trends in weight loss during aging of the films seemed to correspond with the polyvinyl alcohol content of the PVB: more alcohol led to more weight loss (ie, Mowital B30H degraded more quickly than Butvar B-98). The controls of B-72 and polyvinyl acetate showed no weight loss, and no appreciable discoloration. And by using a fiber optic-coupled FTIR to track the C=O carbonyl signal, an indicator of light-induced oxidative degradation, David showed that indeed the most rapidly degrading B30H showed increased C=O during aging compared to B-98, while the stable B-72 showed comparatively little C=O change and thus less degradation. In all cases, light-exposed PVB could be easily removed with ethanol, showing that no cross-linking reactions were occurring.
Comparison of chemistry induced by light sources as different as a weatherometer’s Xe arc lamp and comparatively narrow-band UVA lamp is a delicate affair. So I was disappointed that the talk did not include how the team evaluated light irradiance and dosage. It begs the question of how much photo-chemical energy was actually imparted to each sample. This also begged the question of heat. A Xe arc lamp in a small weatherometer chamber could reasonably be expected to induce a significant amount of heating compared to UVA bulbs. As David highlighted the comparatively high temperatures of Feller’s prior PVB work compared to the work presented here, it makes it difficult to determine how similar or different these varied results might be.
The data showing PVB applied and aged on Plaster of Paris mock-up materials looked promising. David offered some reasonable guesses as to why PVB might be more promising in real object application than on thin films. For example, more opaque materials would shield PVB from full light exposure by acting as a competitive absorber. And the color changes in PVB could be relatively minor compared to the colors of the treated object.
I still would have loved to have seen more about how closely the thin films and mock-ups behaved and had time to ask some of my more nagging questions about light and heat levels.
There are a few broader take-aways from David’s talk that I know I will be keeping in mind for myself:
It never hurts to take an extra look at the sourcing and composition of “trade name” products. As vague as they might be, a product’s MSDS/SDS could provide a useful starting point to sleuth out the components in new products or find changes in existing ones.
Mindfulness in equipment specs are crucial for useful comparisons of test cases. Perhaps even more crucial is carefully reporting those specs to simplify and aid others in their own comparisons.
Don’t take old studies at simple face value. David made a good case for trying them again closer to home and closer to your specific application of interest. You never know what you might find.
In libraries, archives, and museums around the world, those in charge of protecting cultural heritage struggle with the topic: Gloves or No Gloves? Karin van der Pal’s talk on the contamination of paper surfaces from handling gives measurable data pertaining to the debate.
Van der Pal’s studies in forensic analysis are being conducted at Curtin University in Western Australia. She is currently collaborating with the Indianapolis Museum of Art on the chemistry of latent fingerprints and with Flinders University, in South Australia.
Van der Pal received paper samples from an Australian paper mill to conduct her research. She first solidified her own approach on how to not contaminate the papers she was testing: wearing cotton gloves underneath nitrile gloves she could take off the top layer and replace with a new set of gloves during the process without any of her marks coming through.
Historically, we know that dark fingerprints appear on paper. The edges of leaves in books become discolored as well. But is this a result of dirt, or could it be because of fingerprint oils? Van der Pal explained that the residue left by fingermarks include aqueous deposits, lipids, and dead skin. The proportion varies based on a person’s age, gender, and diet. Another variable on the kind of mark that is left is environmental exposure. If the pages with the contamination are left in the dark, there is little discoloration, but exposure to light causes the marks to darken.
Fingerprint deposits can be a combination of sebaceous oils and sweat from ecrine and apocrine glands. Typically, van der Pal explains that when a finger print is left, the oily sebaceous residue is on top, while amino acids sink into the paper, and the oil residue evaporates. In van der Pal’s experiments, the fingerprints are not visible to the naked eye, so it was necessary to apply an indicator agent that could show the intensity/saturation of the print left on her test papers. Ninhydrin has historically been used, that develops a fingerprint into a pink-purple. 1,2-Indandione/Zn Chloride exhibits color and luminescence and can show marks left up to 150 years old, so van der Pal selected this to use as an indicator.
The goal of the speaker’s most current experiments was to determine how effective hand washing is, if contaminants pass through gloves, and what effect hand gels and sanitizers have on papers. Using the 1,2 Indandione/Zn Chloride, van der Pal was able to determine that no contaminants come through nitrile gloves up to 2 hours. She cautioned that fingerprints and oils can still be picked up onto the outside of the nitrile gloves if one handles doorknobs and keyboards, for example. One also has to be mindful that wearing nitrile gloves for an extended amount of time is very unpleasant, so an option could be to wear cotton gloves underneath.
Van der Pal’s experiments show that 5 minutes after handwashing, the oils in the skin come back, and that 15 minutes after washing, there is more oil than prior to washing because the body is working to redevelop the oil lost.
Hand creams are left on the surface of the paper.
Antibacterial gels also do not prevent oils from being left on paper.
In the future van der Pal expects to study how drying/aging affects a wider range of paper, how long the fingermarks last on the paper, and what effects whether the marks darken.
Questions from the Floor:
Q1: Can you still detect marks on paper that have been washed? A1: Yes, you can still detect marks on paper that has been subsequently washed up to 3 months.
Q2: Regarding gels, how long did you wait until you tried to detect the oils? A2: we tested at different intervals of time.
Q3: Was there a transfer of the materials/paper to the gloves? A1: Reusing gloves can cause a transfer. Some gilding can attach to cotton gloves. Nitrile shouldn’t pick much up.
As conservators, we routinely use a host of chemicals, sometimes in ways that are unusual. As a result, it is important for us to take proper precautions at all times. However, as objects conservator Kerith Koss Schrager and industrial hygienist Julie Sobelman pointed out at this year’s annual meeting, we may not always do so. Since we are used to solving complex problems, we do not always seek out health and safety experts to interpret for us, even though they may be required. Much of our behavior around health and safety is learned by example, and we may make judgments based on personal experience. While we are always taught to prioritize the safety of the objects we treat, we may not always prioritize our own safety in the same way.
Kerith and Julie illustrated these issues using the example of cyclododecane. Cyclododecane is used in multiple areas of conservation, and while there are over 100 conservation publications mentioning it, few of these mention health and safety concerns. Most of conservators’ information about the chemical comes from the safety data sheet (SDS), which suggests that it is not hazardous. A survey of conservators found that roughly half of those surveyed did not believe it was safe, while 18% believed it was. The respondents based their answers on either the SDS or on hearing of other conservators using it. However, the SDS for cyclododecane is based on industrial use of the chemical, which is very different from the way conservators use it. In the case of cyclododecane, research is conflicting as to whether it is hazardous.
Rather than looking at just the SDS for a chemical before using it, Julie suggested consulting additional resources such as EPA Chemview and CDC/NIOSH International Chemical Safety Cards. If we have to use chemicals about which we are uncertain, using proper environmental controls and other protective equipment is important: using a fume hood does reduce exposure.
Julie and Kerith ended their presentation with a plea for conservators to create a culture where health and safety matters. As a newly fledged conservator who does oversee interns and volunteers, I left the room committed to making sure that those who share my lab have no reason to regret doing so.
Three veteran National Heritage Responders delivered an emotional and highly persuasive workshop (abstract) during this year’s AIC Annual Meeting. Susan Duhl, Bob Herskovitz and Ann Frellsen, having spent many hours of hard labor together in the field during disaster response, spoke seamlessly as a complementary team, not completing each other’s sentences, but oftentimes each other’s thoughts. They mentioned having lived together in an RV in Louisiana, smelly and tired…and clearly they have cleaned up their act and can take this show on the road.
As an active collections emergency responder for a large academic library institution, here are my key takeaways:
When responding to a disaster, we need to get to know local government agents, whose word is law and yet whose language is foreign to most conservators. We can prepare for this by taking the FEMA Incident Command training, which introduces the vocabulary and the hierarchy of the world of the First Responders. What we’ll get out of it is the ability to communicate with others and to understand our roles. By the way, conservators are NOT First Responders…that term is reserved for the fire, police, National Guard and other official personnel whose priority is human safety.
Personal health has to be our #1 priority, because we’re no good to anyone if we’re injured or sick. When there’s no electricity, there’s no Nilfisk, no fume hood, no suction disk, no light table…so we are going to McGyver our way through this thing with all our appropriate PPE on at all times. Fresh air and sunlight go a long way when the alternative is standing in the dark, knee-deep in “mud.” (I put that in quotes because the components of disaster area mud should be assumed to be everything you don’t ever want to ingest.)
Mental health of those around you is going to be a bigger concern than you expect or, indeed, want. You can provide the sympathetic shoulder, the gentle persuasion to take a break, or even the diplomatic persuasion to a leader to move sideways and let someone else shoulder that burden for a while. It can be hard to wrap one’s mind around saving cultural heritage when people around you have lost homes and loved ones, but in fact our role in rescuing their patrimony contributes to their healing.
Conservators with a bit of grit can survive and, in fact, thrive, in the extreme environment of disaster response. We have to “think outside the lab,” and get creative to make the best use of what is available. To take on leadership roles in a disaster response we have to stay calm and focused, and accept that we are surrounded by confusion. We may be the only ones on site who know how to assess what is possible and what is practical. But we also tend to become superheroes and work to long and too hard. I am really grateful for the specific language the instructors modeled for how to remove an Incident Commander (let’s get used to that ICS term for team leader) whose energy if not competence is flagging. “How are you doing? You’re doing such a great job! I notice you’re looking a little tired. You’ve been working really hard. What we really need right now is someone to sit down over here and fill out this inventory…can you help out with that? One of us can hold the radio for a little while.” You can’t just kick them out…instead, move them sideways, and then they’ll see that everything is going to be ok, and they can take a real break without feeling like they’ve abandoned their responsibility.
Our fearless leaders gave a lot of good tips and tricks. Here is a sampling:
A Uhaul makes a decent workspace during the day and secure storage at night.
Don’t touch sooty things…any contact embeds the soot.
Fire extinguisher powder is corrosive and in a damp environment (i.e. from putting out the fire) it can become intractable.
Got earthquake?…Bring Ziplocs to keep the parts together.
Just say no to the “natural oils” used by some vendors for deodorizing; zeolytes work well, and charcoal is ok. Ozone oxidizes collections as well as odors, and should be avoided.
Also say no to vacuum thermal drying.
Don’t pump out a basement until the floodwaters have receded, or the hydrostatic pressure from the outside water could collapse the foundation.
Need weights? Try double-Ziplock-bagged water, which conforms well to 3D surfaces.
Document anything that is being discarded so insurance will pay for it.
The answer to the question “How much mold is there?” is: “Yes.”
Want to be a part of this action? Well, some of the National Heritage Responders are nearing retirement, so new recruits will be needed. You need training first, and experience second. Take FEMA’s ICS 100.b online training. Watch Tara Kennedy’s Facebook Live recording on working with disaster recovery vendors. Go to your regional Alliance For Response group (might be under a different name…ask the AIC Office) to join up with a local training opportunity. And get to know the National Heritage Responders in your area…let them know you’re willing and able to respond.
Thank you to this team of veterans who have saved so many collections, and are now sharing what they know to give us all the tools to respond effectively.
P. S. I also attended the National Heritage Responders meeting after the workshop, and witnessed the official retirement announcement for Bob Herskovitz. He’s retiring to his boat, so the group gave him a life preserver emblazoned with the name of his boat, “Ça Va Encore Bien.”
The team also consulted widely with conservation scientists and treatment conservators of many disciplines.
