[NHCOLL-L:669] Re: Arsenic Testing

[Kathryn Makos]

To "RWhite" and fellow NHCOLL list members:
There has been a fair amount of work in the area of residual (surface) pesticide testing, and even more so recently with emphasis on testing repatriated Native American sacred objects.  Please contact me off-list to discuss in more detail.  Further, there has been an ongoing NIOSH study to characterize museum worker exposures to various hazards, since so little data has been published on this.  I suspect, though, that IHs (such as yourself) in museum/cultural institution/university settings are doing some routine monitoring.  We would definitely encourage you to add to the study's database.  I invite all NHCOLL members to pass the following message along to their safety/risk management depts. should you have one in your organization.  And members themselves would be interested in the announced conference below.  
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NIOSH, the Smithsonian Institution, and the George Washington University have been collaborating on various studies and initiatives designed to characterize potential workplace exposures in museums and cultural institutions.  Emphasis has been on gathering data related to heavy metals, pesticides, formaldehyde, and silica.  A related theme is the potential health risk to Native American communities receiving repatriated objects which may have been treated with preservatives or pesticides while in collection.  We encourage you to attend a special session devoted to this issue, during the conference of the International Society for Environmental Epidemiology.  The program is posted next.  Should anyone be interested in learning more about this issue, or is currently involved in worker exposure studies, or repatriation testing, in museums or university natural history collections and wants to add to the database, please contact me off-list.

Kathryn A. Makos, MPH, CIH
Smithsonian Institution, Washington DC
Office of Environmental Management and Safety
202-287-3615
makoska at ic.si.edu

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In cooperation with colleagues from EPA, NIOSH, the Smithsonian Institution, members of several tribes (The Hopi Tribe in particular), and organizers from International Society for Environmental Epidemiology (ISEE), there will be a special half-day session August 22 from 2:30 to 6:00pm on this topic during the ISEE meeting August 19-23, 2000 in Buffalo, NY.  See http://www.phoenixworkgroup.com/isee2000 for more information about the whole ISEE conference, and http://www.specialevents.buffalo.edu/ISEE2000  for registration information.

The title of the session, August 22 from 2:30 to 5:00pm  is "Repatriation of Sacred Indian Artifacts Treated with Pesticides and other Chemical Preservatives: Health Risks to Users and to Conservators."  A summary abstract with list of speakers is offered below. 

Background  In the U.S. repatriation of Indian ceremonial artifacts from public and private collections has begun.  The ceremonial objects have been preserved with pesticides and antimold agents, including arsenic, mercuric chloride, DDT, strychnine, tobacco, and naphthalene.  Indian communities are concerned about the safety and health of handling these objects (especially risks to Native children and elders); and museum staff and scientists seek guidance about workplace toxicity and prevention.
Purposes  This session is designed to introduce this issue to the environmental and occupational health disciplines.  A further rationale will be to offer opportunities for presentations by Indian health leaders, by museum health specialists, and pesticide researchers.
Topics to be covered and planned speakers [  ] not yet confirmed

Introduction of CoChairs [Leigh Kuwanwisiwma or Micah Lomaomvaya ], The Hopi Tribe and David Goldsmith, George Washington University (GWU)

Invocation Ceremony  

The Indian perspective on repatriation and pesticides [Micah Lomaomvaya or Leigh Kuwanwisiwma] Hopi Tribe 

Toxicity and risks of exposure to preservatives such as arsenic, mercury compounds, DDT and other chemicals: David Goldsmith, GWU 

The life of sacred objects through Indian eyes, description of uses of
repatriated Indian ceremonial items, including ages of users and amount of
handling [Micah Lomaomvaya] Hopi Tribe

Description of uses of Canadian native peoples' sacred items   Morgan Baillargeon, Canadian Museum of Civilization
Hull, Quebec, Canada

History of use of preservatives and pesticides for conserving sacred Indian artifacts  Lee
Davis San Francisco State University

Current prevention strategies for use of treated sacred objects--focus on Indian 
children and elders    Jim Pepper Henry, National Museum of American Indians/Smithsonian Institution

Surveillance methods for pesticide health effects among tribal members: Ana Maria Osorio, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency

Current health studies among U.S. museum employees: Ed Burroughs, National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health 

International museum and native peoples' joint research and prevention activities: [Catharine Hawks, George Washington University]

Given the sensitivity and cultural importance of repatriated ceremonial objects in U.S. and other nations,
what needs to be done next, including communicating the risks? [Leigh Kuwanwisiwma, Hopi] Kathryn Makos, Smithsonian Institution, and David Goldsmith, GWU