[Nhcoll-l] [EXTERN] Re: Treating mold in archaeological soil samples?

[Dirk Neumann]

Hi Liz,

you could also consider mild dry heating of the soil samples, i.e. not higher then 80°C, but well above 45 °C. Freezing might help to remove the humidity, but freezing itself is not inactivating mould and mould spores. Usually, dry heat at 120°C is a common treatment against mould, but of course not within the museum world as most objects would be severely damaged or destroyed.

Microwave treatment might be another option, there is a paper where microwave treatment was used for archaeological material (link<https://www.researchgate.net/publication/269398317_Microwave_treatment_of_mold_on_travertine_Study_of_efficiency_of_the_process>); the treatment might be incomplete though, as it might only deactivate some enzymes but not the mould per se. But it might be worth looking into this.

With best wishes
Dirk


Am 21.07.2024 um 18:06 schrieb Lu Allington-Jones:
Hi Liz,
Have you considered UV light treatment?
https://geocollnews.wordpress.com/2024/01/02/mould-in-geological-collections/
Best wishes,
Lu

On 19 Jul 2024, at 22:20, Melicker, Liz <lmelicker at presidiotrust.gov<mailto:lmelicker at presidiotrust.gov>> wrote:

Hi Listers –
We have some archaeological soil samples in our collections that either have had or currently have active mold growth (about 3 cubic feet of material total, in 250-500 g cloth bags). We’ve quarantined them away from other collection items, but are looking to see whether there are any treatments that can be used to arrest the active biological growth, without compromising future analysis (e.g., archaeoparasitology, palynology, geochemistry, etc.).
The conservation studio we work with does not work on soil, and suggested anoxia treatment likely won’t work. They suggested that desiccating the samples then spraying them with ethanol might work. We’ve also heard freezing is an option. And of course, going forward, we’re working with our archaeology team to implement preventative procedures when soil samples are collected so that we avoid this issue.
Does anyone have experience with a similar situation and have advice with treatment that worked, or didn’t work, particularly with an eye toward preserving future research potential?
Thanks in advance –
Warmly -
Liz
Liz N. Melicker she/her
LIHZ MEHL-ih-ker
Curator

Presidio Trust
Attn: Liz Melicker
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San Francisco, CA 94129
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Dirk Neumann
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Stiftung Leibniz-Institut zur Analyse des Biodiversitätswandels
Postanschrift: Adenauerallee 127, 53113 Bonn, Germany

Stiftung des öffentlichen Rechts;
Generaldirektion: Prof. Dr. Bernhard Misof (Generaldirektor), Adrian Grüter (Kaufm. Geschäftsführer)
Sitz der Stiftung: Adenauerallee 160 in Bonn
Vorsitzender des Stiftungsrates: Dr. Michael Wappelhorst
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