[NHCOLL-L:3311] wood cabinet off-gassing

[Bob Glotzhober]

I am in the process of inventorying our natural history collection
storage cabinets, and establishing a priority schedule to replace,
update and add cabinets. Many of our old cabinets are wood. I am
doubtful that we can obtain enough funding to replace all of them
instantaneously, so I hope to be able to prioritize a replacement
schedule. I am somewhat familiar with the problem of off-gassing from
wood cabinets, but have several specific questions about which I need
more information. I checked out the list of publications from the
Canadian Conservation Institute, and don't find anything that seems to
address my issues. Any information or opinions about the following
questions would be appreciated.

 

1. Most of our wood cabinets are 40 to 50 years old or even double that.
Would these still be off-gassing at levels that would create concern for
continued storage of natural history collections, or is the off-gassing
more of a problem when the wood is newer?

 

2. Is there a difference in the threat of off-gassing to various
collection types? In other words, are egg collections, skeletal
material, etc. any less in threat than bird and mammals study skins or
minerals? We also have some wet collections, would I be correct in
assuming since these are inside glass containers that they are fairly
safe from off-gassing?

 

3. All the most modern entomology cabinets I have found use basswood
drawers with foam bottoms and glass tops. - Is the basswood not a
problem? We have insects that have been stored in similar drawers
(Cornell style) for over 100 years, and they appear to be fine. 

 

4. Is basswood less of a problem than plywood - due to the adhesives
used in plywood?

 

5. Does laying a study skin on an ethafoam or polyethylene foam layer
instead of on the wooden tray bottom provide any help? We have been
doing this for at least 10 years - but if fumes are in the atmosphere,
does it really provide anything beyond physical/structural ("rubbing")
protection?

 

Bob Glotzhober

 

====================

Robert C. Glotzhober             614/ 297-2633

Senior Curator, Natural History         bglotzhober at ohiohistory.org

Ohio Historical Society         Fax: 614/ 297-2546

1982 Velma Avenue

Columbus, Ohio  43211-2497

 

Visit the website of the Ohio Historical Society at:

  www.ohiohistory.org and check out our online collections catalog.

See or purchase Dragonflies and Damselflies of Ohio or the Cedar Bog
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Visit the Ohio Odonata website at:
http://www.marietta.edu/~odonata/index.html

 

 

 

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