[NHCOLL-L:4020] use of carbon disulfide as an insecticide

[Harris, Jill (VMNH)]

Dear Collegues,

One of the curators here mentioned that in the past, a very long time
ago, he used carbon disulfide to rid a closed storage cabinets of any
insect infestation.  He states that the carbon disulfide was placed in a
container and left in the bottom of a cabinet.  The cabinet was kept
sealed for a couple days until the carbon disulfide had evaporated.
This effectively and quickly killed any insect infestation that was in
the storage cabinet.  This curator has asked me to find out if this is
still an acceptable practice, or if it is obsolete now.

I looked up the MSDS sheet and it has enough there to scare me from
using it, but that was not what I was asked to find out.  I was asked to
see if it is still used for such purposes as to kill insect pests in a
storage cabinet.  I suspect this chemical is no longer used for this
purpose, but thought I'd ask the list members if any of you have heard
of such a method to eradicate insect infestations in cabinets.

I do want to mention, that we do not have an infestation.  Also, we have
a CO2/Anoxic Chamber, which is currently waiting for part so it can
operate again.  I suspect this curator is asking about the carbon
disulfide, as we are beginning to get a backlog of specimens that need
to be processed through the anoxic chamber before going into new storage
facilities.

So, just to give me some wisdom from the field at large, I'd  like to
know what knowledge you may have to impart regarding the use of carbon
disulfide as an insecticide inside museum storage cabinets.  Is it still
used, or is it obsolete??

Thank you in advance for any insight you may have regarding this topic.

Jill

Jill K. Harris
Museum Registrar
Virginia Museum of Natural History
21 Starling Avenue
Martinsville, VA 24112
direct: (276) 634-4182
fax: (276) 634-4199
email: jill.harris at vmnh.virginia.gov
<mailto:jill.harris at vmnh.virginia.gov> 
web: www.vmnh.net <http://www.vmnh.net/> 
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