Conservation Science 2002

The Institute of Conservation Science Conference Papers volume presents 42 fully refereed papers from the 2002 Edinburgh conference celebrating the formation of ICS. Covering preventive conservation, conservation methods, and non-destructive testing, it explores research strategies, risk assessment, material properties, and conservation treatments across a wide range of heritage objects. This essential resource highlights the pivotal role of conservation science in collections care and offers insights for scientists, conservators, and cultural heritage professionals.

The recently established Institute of Conservation Science (ICS) celebrated its formation with a conference held in Edinburgh in May 2002, attended by conservation scientists and conservators from European, American and Australian museums, archives, universities and research institutes. The energy of formation of ICS, supplemented by support from the National Museums of Scotland, Action G8 of COST (European Cooperation in the Field of Scientific and Technological Research) and Historic Scotland, has resulted in this fully refereed publicaiton of 42 papers which present current research, strategies for cultural heritage management and risk assessment, case histories and reviews. The role of conservation science in the understanding of material properties, the selection of conservation treatments and the evaluation of past treatments is common to all. The book is divided into three sections. The first, Preventive Conservation, includes contributions on the deterioration of historic textiles; the movement of painted wooden panels; dimensional changes in bark paintings; showcase environments; particles and dust in museums etc. This is followed by the section on Conservation Methods, which includes laser cleaning; chromatography; adhesives for textiles; mortars for mosaics and corrosion inhibitors for iron artefacts. In the final section, Non-Destructive Testing, the reader is taken into a world of acronyms – XRF, SEM, LA-ICPMS, PIXE, THM-GCMS, ATR, CPSEM-EDX – while some more easily written techniques including dendrochronology, colorimetry, eddy current testing, accelerated light testing, neutron radiography etc. are discussed. These techniques are applied to a range of materials – from Rembrandt to Roman coins; from aero engines to alkyd resins; from hats to hallmarks; manuscripts to mercury. This volume will be appreciated by all those interested in the examination of works of art and objects in collections, their interaction with their present and past environments and the quest for improved methods of preserving them. Papers from the conference held in Edinburgh, Scotland 22-24 May 2002.

ForewordI Preventive conservationPreventive conservation: the research legacySusan BradleyMonitoring dust in historic housesDavid Howell, Peter Brimblecombe, Helen Lloyd, Kate Frame and Barry KnightMonitoring of deposited particle levels within the Royal Museum of Scotland: distribution patterns and the effects of nearby construction workStuart Adams, Katherine Eremin and James TateCeramics threatened by acid-induced saltsLieve HalsbergheImprovement of showcase environment at the Silberkammer, ViennaJan G. Holmberg and Wolfgang KippesAssessment of materials used for anoxic microenvironmentsVicen Carrio and Suzie StevensonMuseum collections: data sheets for improved managementGiorgio Accardo, Carlo Cacace, Elisabetta Giani, Annamaria Giovagnoli and Maria Pia NugariRisk Map: a project to aid decision-making in the protection, preservation and conservation of Italian cultural heritageGiorgio Accardo, Antonella Altieri, Carlo Cacace, Elisabetta Giani and Annamaria GiovagnoliPractical applications of reactivity monitoring in museums and archivesChris MullerInhibiting the deterioration of plasticised poly (vinyl chloride) in museum collectionsYvonne ShashouaThe monitoring of painted wood panels by fibre Bragg grating sensorsRiccardo Falciai, Cosimo Trono, Giancarlo Lanterna and Ciro CastelliDimensional change of Australian Aboriginal bark paintings using non-destructive monitoring techniquesNicola Smith, Kylie Roth and Vincent Otieno-Alego II Conservation methodsThe sulphur threat to marine archaeological artefacts: acid and iron removal from the VasaMagnus Sandstrom, Farideh Jalilehvand, Ingmar Persson, Yvonne Fors, Emiliana Damian, Ulrik Gelius, Ingrid Hall-Roth, Lovisa Dal, Vicki L. Richards and Ian GodfreyElectrochemistry as a conservation tool: an overviewVirginia CostaThe potential of inverse chromatography for investigating the interactions of consolidants and solvents with archaeological materialsTheo SkinnerLaser cleaning of natural history specimens and subsequent SEM examinationLorraine Cornish and Chris G. JonesComparing the bond strength of adhesive support treatments for textiles: peel strength versus work of adhesionIrene F. Karsten, Nancy Kerr and Zhenghe XuLaminated materials from the National Anthropological ArchivesClaire M. Grundy and Tara D. KennedyCharacterisation and development of mortars for the conservation of Byzantine floor mosaicsIoannis Karatasios, David Watt and Belinda ColstonThe application of science in the conservation of historic buildings and monumentsDavid Watt and Belinda ColstonEvaluating the use of bioremediation techniques in the conservation of hydrocarbon-contaminated stone monumentsMaria Kliafa, Belinda Colston and David WattA scientific approach for the conservation of the outdoor bronze monument of Theodoros KolokotronisVasilike Argyropoulos, Andreas G. Karydas, Aggeliki Vossou Domi, Thanasis Karabotsos, Eleni Kapatou, Vasilis B. Perdikatsis, Giorgos Economou, Charalambos Zarkadas and Dimitrios CharalambousInvestigation of a potentiostatic reduction treatment for leaded copper alloysHelen SpencerThe effects of conservation treatments on the subsequent tarnishing of silverDavid Thickett and Marilyn HockeyDisodium salt of secacic acid: a non-toxic corrosion inhibitor for ferrous artefacts in citric acid wash solutionsVincent Otieno-Alego, David Thurrowgood, Dudley C. Creagh and George BaileyIII Non-destructive testingMonitoring the deterioration of historic textiles: developing appropriate micromethodologyPaul Garside and Paul WyethConservator safety - mercury in felt hatsGraham Martin and Marion KitePaper conservation chemistry: a review of chemiluminescence studies of cellulose stabilityMatija Strlic, Jana Kolar and Jozef RychlyInsight into early photographic processes: quantitative XRF approachDusan C. Stulik and Herant P. KhanjianInfrared spectroscopic studies of photographic materialHerant P. Khanjian and Dusan C. StulikNon-destructive investigation of 19th-century Scottish photographsKatherine Eremin, James Tate and James BerryNon-destructive analysis of a 16th-century manuscript from the Gospel Book of Robert QuercentiusSophie Denoel, Georges Weber, Dominique Allart and Bernard GilbertImage recovery of worn-off hallmarks on silver and gold objectsPaul L. Benson and Robert S. GilmoreNon-destructive characterisation of gilded bronze using swept and pulsed eddy current techniquesJohanna R. Bernstein and Blythe McCarthy'Crystals from an aged Merlin'. Corrosion deposits found in the engines of the historic Avro-Lancaster bomber, G-for-GeorgeGraham A. Heath, Alison J. Edwards, Meta Sterns, George Bailey and Vincent Oteino-AlegoThe investigation of degradation effects in silvered copper alloy Roman coins (AD 250-350)Constantina Vlachou, J.Gerry McDonnell and Robert C. JanawayThe chemical characterisation of alkyd resins by thermally assisted hydrolysis and methylation-gas chromatography mass spectrometry and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopyFrancesca CappitelliFourier transform interferometric imaging spectrometry: a new tool for the study of reflectance and fluorescence of polychrome surfacesAndrea Casini, Franco Lotti, Marcello Picollo, Lorenzo Stefani and Alfredo AldrovandiNeutron activation autoradiography of paintings by Rembrandt at the Berlin Picture GalleryClaudia Laurenze-LandsbergUnequal Lovers at the laboratory: non-destructive analysis of a 16th-century Netherlandish paintingCecile Oger, Dominique Allart
Pascale Fraiture and Georges WeberLow vacuum scanning electron microscopy at the National Museums and Galleries of WalesMary DavisDevelopment of protocols for a large analytical database project for historic pigmentsNicholas Eastaugh, Valentine Walsh, Ruth Siddall, Tracey Chaplin and Henryk HermanThe Institute of Conservation Science Conference Papers volume presents 42 fully refereed papers from the 2002 Edinburgh conference celebrating the formation of ICS. Covering preventive conservation, conservation methods, and non-destructive testing, it explores research strategies, risk assessment, material properties, and conservation treatments across a wide range of heritage objects. This essential resource highlights the pivotal role of conservation science in collections care and offers insights for scientists, conservators, and cultural heritage professionals.,

Foreword

I Preventive conservation

Preventive conservation: the research legacy

Susan Bradley

Monitoring dust in historic houses

David Howell, Peter Brimblecombe, Helen Lloyd, Kate Frame and Barry Knight

Monitoring of deposited particle levels within the Royal Museum of Scotland: distribution patterns and the effects of nearby construction work

Stuart Adams, Katherine Eremin and James Tate

Ceramics threatened by acid-induced salts

Lieve Halsberghe

Improvement of showcase environment at the Silberkammer, Vienna

Jan G. Holmberg and Wolfgang Kippes

Assessment of materials used for anoxic microenvironments

Vicen Carrio and Suzie Stevenson

Museum collections: data sheets for improved management

Giorgio Accardo, Carlo Cacace, Elisabetta Giani, Annamaria Giovagnoli and Maria Pia Nugari

Risk Map: a project to aid decision-making in the protection, preservation and conservation of Italian cultural heritage

Giorgio Accardo, Antonella Altieri, Carlo Cacace, Elisabetta Giani and Annamaria Giovagnoli

Practical applications of reactivity monitoring in museums and archives

Chris Muller

Inhibiting the deterioration of plasticised poly (vinyl chloride) in museum collections

Yvonne Shashoua

The monitoring of painted wood panels by fibre Bragg grating sensors

Riccardo Falciai, Cosimo Trono, Giancarlo Lanterna and Ciro Castelli

Dimensional change of Australian Aboriginal bark paintings using non-destructive monitoring techniques

Nicola Smith, Kylie Roth and Vincent Otieno-Alego

II Conservation methods

The sulphur threat to marine archaeological artefacts: acid and iron removal from the Vasa

Magnus Sandstrom, Farideh Jalilehvand, Ingmar Persson, Yvonne Fors, Emiliana Damian, Ulrik Gelius, Ingrid Hall-Roth, Lovisa Dal, Vicki L. Richards and Ian Godfrey

Electrochemistry as a conservation tool: an overview

Virginia Costa

The potential of inverse chromatography for investigating the interactions of consolidants and solvents with archaeological materials

Theo Skinner

Laser cleaning of natural history specimens and subsequent SEM examination

Lorraine Cornish and Chris G. Jones

Comparing the bond strength of adhesive support treatments for textiles: peel strength versus work of adhesion

Irene F. Karsten, Nancy Kerr and Zhenghe Xu

Laminated materials from the National Anthropological Archives

Claire M. Grundy and Tara D. Kennedy

Characterisation and development of mortars for the conservation of Byzantine floor mosaics

Ioannis Karatasios, David Watt and Belinda Colston

The application of science in the conservation of historic buildings and monuments

David Watt and Belinda Colston

Evaluating the use of bioremediation techniques in the conservation of hydrocarbon-contaminated stone monuments

Maria Kliafa, Belinda Colston and David Watt

A scientific approach for the conservation of the outdoor bronze monument of Theodoros Kolokotronis

Vasilike Argyropoulos, Andreas G. Karydas, Aggeliki Vossou Domi, Thanasis Karabotsos, Eleni Kapatou, Vasilis B. Perdikatsis, Giorgos Economou, Charalambos Zarkadas and Dimitrios Charalambous

Investigation of a potentiostatic reduction treatment for leaded copper alloys

Helen Spencer

The effects of conservation treatments on the subsequent tarnishing of silver

David Thickett and Marilyn Hockey

Disodium salt of secacic acid: a non-toxic corrosion inhibitor for ferrous artefacts in citric acid wash solutions

Vincent Otieno-Alego, David Thurrowgood, Dudley C. Creagh and George Bailey

III Non-destructive testing

Monitoring the deterioration of historic textiles: developing appropriate micromethodology

Paul Garside and Paul Wyeth

Conservator safety - mercury in felt hats

Graham Martin and Marion Kite

Paper conservation chemistry: a review of chemiluminescence studies of cellulose stability

Matija Strlic, Jana Kolar and Jozef Rychly

Insight into early photographic processes: quantitative XRF approach

Dusan C. Stulik and Herant P. Khanjian

Infrared spectroscopic studies of photographic material

Herant P. Khanjian and Dusan C. Stulik

Non-destructive investigation of 19th-century Scottish photographs

Katherine Eremin, James Tate and James Berry

Non-destructive analysis of a 16th-century manuscript from the Gospel Book of Robert Quercentius

Sophie Denoel, Georges Weber, Dominique Allart and Bernard Gilbert

Image recovery of worn-off hallmarks on silver and gold objects

Paul L. Benson and Robert S. Gilmore

Non-destructive characterisation of gilded bronze using swept and pulsed eddy current techniques

Johanna R. Bernstein and Blythe McCarthy

'Crystals from an aged Merlin'. Corrosion deposits found in the engines of the historic Avro-Lancaster bomber, G-for-George

Graham A. Heath, Alison J. Edwards, Meta Sterns, George Bailey and Vincent Oteino-Alego

The investigation of degradation effects in silvered copper alloy Roman coins (AD 250-350)

Constantina Vlachou, J.Gerry McDonnell and Robert C. Janaway

The chemical characterisation of alkyd resins by thermally assisted hydrolysis and methylation-gas chromatography mass spectrometry and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy

Francesca Cappitelli

Fourier transform interferometric imaging spectrometry: a new tool for the study of reflectance and fluorescence of polychrome surfaces

Andrea Casini, Franco Lotti, Marcello Picollo, Lorenzo Stefani and Alfredo Aldrovandi

Neutron activation autoradiography of paintings by Rembrandt at the Berlin Picture Gallery

Claudia Laurenze-Landsberg

Unequal Lovers at the laboratory: non-destructive analysis of a 16th-century Netherlandish painting

Cecile Oger, Dominique Allart; Pascale Fraiture and Georges Weber

Low vacuum scanning electron microscopy at the National Museums and Galleries of Wales

Mary Davis

Development of protocols for a large analytical database project for historic pigments

Nicholas Eastaugh, Valentine Walsh, Ruth Siddall, Tracey Chaplin and Henryk Herman

• Edited by Joyce H. Townsend
• Edited by Katherine Eremin
• Edited by Annemie Adriaens