الفهرس | Only 14 pages are availabe for public view |
Abstract Modified inert atmosphere (MIA) is a safe, complex procedure for combating harmful insect pests infesting valuable artifacts and art objects. However, many factors affect the performance and therefore efficiency of MIA treatments. These factors encompass: 1) the reliability of the live insect pests’ detection and monitoring technique, which readily affects the treatment decisions before, during, and after treatments, 2) the design and fabrication of the MIA system, which is the key factor affecting its performance against leakage and/or fumigant retention, 3) and the effectiveness of the utilized dosage of the fumigant at constant treatment parameters in completely eradicating insects while having no harmful effect on the constituent(s) of the artifact(s) undergoing treatment. Therefore, this study focuses on finding alternatives to attain the highest achievable performance and outcomes of MIA systems through exploring, testing, and innovating new systems that optimize treatment efficiency. The framework for this study involves three main research areas: 1) testing the feasibility of a new system to detect and monitor insect infestations in cultural objects, 2) evaluating the performance of different types of film laminates as oxygen barriers, 3) investigating the effect of different fumigant mixtures, and dosages on two commonly used wood species and a tolerant wood borer. By exploring this strategy, it was possible to recommend the best possible techniques, methodologies, and conditions for high performance, very efficient, easy to implement and sustainable MIA system to help conservators better protect their collections. |