[Nhcoll-l] Hazardous materials

[Carrlee, Ellen M (EED)]

In the museum field, it is common to use a kit or a procedure similar to the one here:
http://ellencarrlee.wordpress.com/2009/01/14/arsenic-testing-step-by-step/

Using a known positive and a known negative in a rigorous way is important in making sure the results are valid.

Some museums now have the ability to use a portable XRF for testing of some pesticide toxins in which the elements are heavy enough to be detected (Arsenic, mercury, lead etc).  There are toxins that are present on taxidermy specimens that are not visible to XRF.
I am not aware of a museum saying "certified clean" for arsenic because your test is only valid for the sample area you have tested.  We tend to say, "no arsenic detected in sample" or something similar.  Usually many areas of the specimen are tested to increase the confidence in the results.

I am aware of arsenic being used on taxidermy well into the 1980's.  If there is no specific law against it, it could be used past then as well.

Ellen Carrlee
Objects Conservator
Alaska State Museum

From: nhcoll-l-bounces at mailman.yale.edu [mailto:nhcoll-l-bounces at mailman.yale.edu] On Behalf Of Rortvedt deZero
Sent: Tuesday, June 25, 2013 10:30 AM
To: nhcoll-l at mailman.yale.edu
Subject: [Nhcoll-l] Hazardous materials


Hello,

Do you use a commercial laboratory to test animal taxidermy mounts for the presence of arsenic and other hazardous materials ?

If not, do you use a home test kit? I became aware of Weber's test. Is this an "industry standard"?
Is there a "certified clean" certification or something similar? Is there a regimen of materials for which testing should be done? I know about As, Hg, Pb.

Is there a year before which you assume a mount has been treated with arsenic?

Thanks.

Ralph North, CHMM
Environmental Affairs Specialist
University of Wisconsin System
Office of Safety and Loss Prevention
780 Regent St.
Madison, WI 53715-2635
rnorth at uwsa.edu<mailto:rnorth at uwsa.edu>
(608) 263-4419



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