Application of a non-invasive, non-destructive technique to quantify naphthalene emission rates from museum objects

For the last 30 years, the cultural heritage sector has undertaken research into pesticide residues in museum objects. However, quantitative studies of volatile residues remain scarce. This research presents an active air sampling methodology to obtain qualitative and quantitative data for naphthalene as the most common pesticide found in the sampled objects. The sampling procedure comprises of placing contaminated objects inside a sampling chamber fitted with a sorbent tube filled with TENAX, then connected via tubing to a calibrated sampling pump. The sample is desorbed and analysed using automated thermal desorption (ATD) paired with gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GCMS). The obtained information allows the calculation of emission rates and modelling of emissions in common museum situations such as inside a box, cabinet or display case. This information informs decision-making regarding ventilation in storage areas and health and safety implications for museum professionals and other stakeholders coming in contact with objects.