A serious problem facing museum professionals is the protection of collections from damage due to insects. This book describes successful insect eradication procedures developed at the Getty Conservation Institute and elsewhere, whereby objects are held in an atmosphere of either nitrogen or argon containing less than 1000 ppm of oxygen—a process known as anoxia—or in an atmosphere of more than 60 percent carbon dioxide. Techniques, materials, and operating parameters are described in detail. The book also discusses adoption of this preservation technology, presenting the development of these methods and instructions for building and upgrading treatment systems, as well as recent case histories. The Research in Conservation reference series presents the findings of research conducted by the Getty Conservation Institute and its individual and institutional research partners, as well as state-of-the-art reviews of conservation literature. Each volume covers a topic of current interest to conservators and conservation scientists.

Museums throughout the world face the challenge of finding nontoxic methods to control insect pests. This book focuses on practical rather than theoretical issues in the use of oxygen-free environments, presenting a detailed, hands-on guide to the use of oxygen-free environments in the eradication of museum insect pests.

Museums throughout the world face the challenge of finding nontoxic methods to control insect pests. This book focuses on practical rather than theoretical issues in the use of oxygen-free environments, presenting a detailed, hands-on guide to the use of oxygen-free environments in the eradication of museum insect pests.

Surveys of natural history and art museums indicate that beetles belonging to the families Anobiidae and Dermestidae and moths belonging to the family Tineidae are major pests. Other groups such as termites and silverfish may also be extremely important, especially in southeast Asia. Current control recommendations include the use of space fumigation or surface residual spraying. In addition to the need to train museum personnel to use these insecticides, there is always the potential for damage to rare antiquities and artifacts. The primary objectives of this study were to determine: (1) if controlled or modified atmospheres were lethal and (2) to establish the minimum time required to provide 100% kill of all developmental stages of insects likely to infest materials, objects, and artifacts in museums.

Integrated pest management (IPM) is not a static approach but one that is constantly evolving. Mass international travel, climate change and other factors contribute to the spread of new pests, and the pests themselves are constantly seeking out weaknesses in our defences. An understanding of the threats pests pose to collections and the necessity for a systematic approach to combat them is now firmly embedded in the work of collection care practitioners. In addition, the trustees and sponsoring bodies of collecting institutions recognise that it is a significant and cost-effective element of good collections management. 2011: A Pest Odyssey, 10 years later describes examples of how the IPM approach has been adopted by large and small institutions around the world, and highlights the many lessons learned along the way. Principal among these is never to become complacent and tied down to routine processes. Another important lesson is the need to ensure colleagues understand and are involved with the process of pest management. There is also a need to understand the wider implications of any pest control activity, for example the effect of chemical treatments on DNA. Coming out of the second Pest Odyssey conference, this book will promote wider understanding and implementation of IPM as an integral part of any collection management programme. The organisers and editorial team hope that everyone involved with the care of cultural heritage collections and buildings will find something of interest and value in this work.