Relating volatiles analysis by GC–MS to Oddy test performance for determining the suitability of museum construction materials (Article)
Title: Relating volatiles analysis by GC–MS to Oddy test performance for determining the suitability of museum construction materials
Author: Gregory D. Smith
Author: Jericha Mill
Author: Mary C. Liggett
Author: Michael J. Samide
Abstract: Conservators’ decisions regarding the suitability of museum construction materials for use in proximity to artworks still rely heavily on accelerated corrosion tests like the Oddy test despite widespread criticisms. These issues include inconveniently long wait times, sensitivity to only those pollutants capable of tarnishing metals, a general sense of unreliability, exaggerated environmental conditions, and subjectivity in assessing the test’s results. Increasingly, alternative strategies that use instrumental approaches involving volatiles sampling coupled to gas chromatography with mass spectrometry (GC–MS) are being explored as faster, more comprehensive, potentially quantitative, and possible more ‘objective’ means of assessing the dangers of off-gassing from museum construction materials. While many of these characteristics are now well documented, the objectivity of the instrumental result is arguable. While the detection of volatiles and semi-volatiles by GC–MS can confidently yield a list of potential pollutants, “chemical intuition” must be used to predict whether many of the emitted compounds can in fact adversely affect artwork. In this study, evolved gas analysis (EGA) coupled to GC–MS is used to predict the suitability of a small sample set of plastics for use in a museum. The potential impact of volatiles observed in the EGA chromatogram was assessed using chemical reactivity principles and the sparse literature data on the material damages caused by a small group of known pollutants. These same plastics were then tested using the British Museum’s 3-in-1 Oddy test.
Year: 2018
Primary URL: https://heritagesciencejournal.springeropen.com/articles/10.1186/s40494-018-0213-2
Primary URL Description: Relating volatiles analysis by GC–MS to Oddy test performance for determining the suitability of museum construction materials
Secondary URL: https://doi.org/10.1186/s40494-018-0213-2
Secondary URL Description: Relating volatiles analysis by GC–MS to Oddy test performance for determining the suitability of museum construction materials
Access Model: Open access
Format: Journal
Periodical Title: Heritage Science
Publisher: Heritage Science

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