J.CAC VOLUME 43 (2018)
The Evolution of Specifications for Limiting Pollutants in Museums and Archives
Since the first pollutant limits for museums and archives emerged in the 1970s, various documents have proposed specifications to guide pollutant control for the protection of heritage collections. Three approaches to avoiding damaging pollutant levels are examined in this paper: specifications based on maximum allowable levels, on dosimeters and on testing products. The evolution of recommended maximum levels of gaseous pollutants is documented, showing that, over time, limits were progressively lowered but then more recently relaxed, and that lists expanded to include more key pollutants. Dosimeters have been developed as an alternate way to characterize pollutant levels, but their use in museums and archives remains limited. Tests that distinguish products that emit damaging pollutants from those that do not have been more widely adopted as a means of selecting appropriate products for use in collection spaces, especially enclosures. To date, evidence to support specifications has often been weak or may not reflect what actually occurs in the museum environment.
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