[Nhcoll-l] Arsenic testing
Evelyn.Ayre at pch.gc.ca
Evelyn.Ayre at pch.gc.ca
Tue Feb 25 16:18:47 EST 2014
As Fran mentioned, XRF is a possibility for testing for Arsenic. I just
spoke with Jane Sirois, Manager of Preservation Services (previously Senior
Conservation Scientist) at CCI, and she mentioned that if you have access
to a unit, and someone who can run the XRF (some countries, like Canada,
have regulations on who can operate XRF devices) it is best to also have
someone who can interpret the results with you. This is important because
the peaks for Mercury, Lead and Arsenic overlap, and any Arsenic detected
by the XRF may be found below the surface. This is to say, XRF results may
be misleading. The advantage of XRF testing is that it is non-destructive,
and safe if the operator respects health and safety protocols inherent in
using a device that produces radiation.
Evelyn Ayre
Conservator - Intern | Restauratrice - Stagiaire
Preservation Services | Services de préservation
Canadian Conservation Institute | Institut canadien de conservation
Department of Canadian Heritage | Ministère du Patrimoine canadien
1030 Innes Road | 1030 chemin Innes
Ottawa ON Canada K1B 4S7
evelyn.ayre at pch.gc.ca
Telephone | Téléphone 1 (613) 998-3721 ext | poste 235
Facsimile | Télécopieur 1 (613) 998-4721
Government of Canada | Gouvernement du Canada
From: Fran Ritchie <franritchie at gmail.com>
To: "Wilke, Victoria" <vwilke at oeb.harvard.edu>,
Cc: "nhcoll-l at mailman.yale.edu" <nhcoll-l at mailman.yale.edu>, Lena
Hernandez <LHernandez at themosh.org>
Date: 25/02/2014 03:48 PM
Subject: Re: [Nhcoll-l] Arsenic testing
Sent by: nhcoll-l-bounces at mailman.yale.edu
I meant to "reply to all" earlier when I e-mailed Lena back. Victoria,
I've used a homemade test kit that I assembled based off of the method that
Cathy Hawks adapted and that Ellen Carrlee described on her blog:
http://ellencarrlee.wordpress.com/?s=arsenic+testing I've had multiple
successes with it, using the swab method, but now I can't remember exactly
how much residue was on the surface. I don't think it was much. (I was
able to confirm my findings with XRF, too. The sample that was negative
also tested negative using XRF.)
The downside is that you need to make/have KOH and HCl, which is difficult
if you're working for a smaller museum with limited or no lab space. The
first time I ran this arsenic test I was working for a small museum with no
lab and was able to take my samples to a local university chem lab. Ellen
points out that her molar solution was obtained from a local pharmacist.
Lena, just curious how you know the specimens have arsenic and that the
accumulation of material on the base isn't Borax?
Thanks,
Fran Ritchie
Andrew W. Mellon Fellow in
Objects Conservation
National Museum of the American Indian
RitchieF at si.edu
On Tue, Feb 25, 2014 at 2:58 PM, Wilke, Victoria <vwilke at oeb.harvard.edu>
wrote:
Depending on the time the mounts you are referencing were made, arsenic
could have been applied as a paste, powder or soap.
I have read (multiple times!) that re-testing is necessary due to
negative results. Have you ever tested the same specimen using different
methods? I’ve never used the The Macherey-Nagel Arsenic Paper Test, but
would like to hear other’s experiences.
Victoria
From: nhcoll-l-bounces at mailman.yale.edu [mailto:
nhcoll-l-bounces at mailman.yale.edu] On Behalf Of Lena Hernandez
Sent: Tuesday, February 25, 2014 2:25 PM
To: Gegick, Patricia, DCA
Cc: nhcoll-l at mailman.yale.edu
Subject: Re: [Nhcoll-l] Arsenic testing
I can understand the potential to miss the arsenic when swabbing, which I
believe is why it is recommended to retest specimens every three years or
so if you get an initial negative result. Unfortunately, my testing issue
does not seem to be so simple as that. One of the specimens I tested had
quite the accumulation of arsenic below it on the base it was mounted
on, but still I got a negative result.
I appreciate all of the responses I have gotten so far, but if anyone
else has thoughts please voice them!
Lena Hernandez
Collections Manager/Registrar
Museum of Science and History
1025 Museum Circle
Jacksonville, FL 32207
(904)396-6674 x212
From: Gegick, Patricia, DCA [mailto:patricia.gegick at state.nm.us]
Sent: Tuesday, February 25, 2014 1:41 PM
To: Kirsten Nicholson; Lena Hernandez
Cc: nhcoll-l at mailman.yale.edu
Subject: RE: [Nhcoll-l] Arsenic testing
Dear listees,
It is my understanding that the arsenic was in a paste form applied to
the inside skin of the animal. It is tiny crystals of this that can
migrate to the surface when dry. If the “cotton swabbing” method is
being used, it seems that it depends on whether or not you happen to
capture a crystal on your swab. I’ve always been slightly skeptical
myself as far as whether my “negatives” are valid. Anyone else have this
problem?
Patti
Patricia J. Gegick
Bioscience Collections Specialist
Department of Collections and Research
New Mexico Museum of Natural History & Science
1801 Mountain Road, NW
Albuquerque, NM 87104-1375
Phone: 505.841.2867 Fax: 505.841.2808
email: patricia.gegick at state.nm.us
“Every calculation based on experience elsewhere fails in New Mexico.”
Lew Wallace, New Mexico Territorial Governor from 1878-1881. New Mexico:
The Land of Enchantment
From: nhcoll-l-bounces at mailman.yale.edu [
mailto:nhcoll-l-bounces at mailman.yale.edu] On Behalf Of Kirsten Nicholson
Sent: Tuesday, February 25, 2014 10:55 AM
To: Lena Hernandez
Cc: nhcoll-l at mailman.yale.edu
Subject: Re: [Nhcoll-l] Arsenic testing
So we have done some fairly extensive testing in our collection and had
the same results. Generally this happened where arsenic prepared
specimens were in contact with "clean" specimens" and from the literature
I am understand that there can be cross contamination. So if possible,
you want to quarantine your arsenic specimens away from clean specimens
if possible (there are a number of ways to accomplish this).
I would love to hear what others have to offer, though.
Kirsten
On Tue, Feb 25, 2014 at 9:21 AM, Lena Hernandez <LHernandez at themosh.org>
wrote:
Hi all,
Recently I attempted testing for arsenic in the mounted specimens of our
collection. My issues, that I hope some of you can help with, is that I
am getting a negative result on specimens that I am sure have arsenic.
Has anyone else run into this problem? If so how did you solve it? I am
following the protocol developed by NPS in their Conserve-o-Gram 2/3 and
using Hach’s arsenic test kit, since the one recommended by NPS is no
longer made. Any suggestions would be most welcome. Feel free to contact
me off list if you would prefer.
Lena Hernandez
Collections Manager/Registrar
Museum of Science and History
1025 Museum Circle
Jacksonville, FL 32207
(904)396-6674 x212
lhernandez at themosh.org
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_______________________________________________
NHCOLL-L is brought to you by the Society for the Preservation of
Natural History Collections (SPNHC), an international society whose
mission is to improve the preservation, conservation and management of
natural history collections to ensure their continuing value to
society. See http://www.spnhc.org for membership information.
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_______________________________________________
NHCOLL-L is brought to you by the Society for the Preservation of
Natural History Collections (SPNHC), an international society whose
mission is to improve the preservation, conservation and management of
natural history collections to ensure their continuing value to
society. See http://www.spnhc.org for membership information.
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