Studies in Pest Control for Cultural Property

Abstract

This volume considers discrete problems of protecting cultural property from pests and examines some of the solutions. Recent decades have seen a large change in how fumigants and pesticides are used in collections of cultural property. To reduce health hazards and deleterious interactions with materials, alternatives such as thermal treatment and controlled atmosphere fumigation have replaced applied residual chemicals and exposure to reactive gases in many applications. The shift has introduced new risks. Establishing efficacy, considering side effects of unfamiliar control applications, and how to construct systemic programs to reduce the risk of pest damage across a wide range of conditions are common challenges to the decision process. The papers included in this volume were written to introduce sufficient data, or discuss complicating factors in a way which would address key concerns and enable collections care professionals to have greater confidence in their decisions.